Delicious No_20 by Union Print

HELLO SUMMER

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June 2021

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Te l g h a T a s - S a q q a j j a , R a b a t , M a l t a | b o o k @ f o r k a n d c o r k . c o m . m t | 7 9 0 4 7 0 4 3

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The Gazebo at Hilton Malta, is what Summer nights are made for.

The Gazebo

Portomaso, St. Julians, STJ4012 For more information call on: +356 21 383 383

Printing & Publishing: Union Print Co. Ltd, Workers' Memorial Building, 3rd Floor, South Street, Valletta +356 2590 0200 Editor: Omar Vella delicious@unionprint.com.mt Proof Reading: Mark Schembri Ramona Marie Vella Cini Design: Ryan Bezzina design@unionprint.com.mt Front image: Courtesy of Ark Restaurant Copenhagen Index image: Courtesy of Manouche Photos: We thank all contributers for providing photos and images. Recipes: We thank all contributers for the recipes provided

Hello Summer!

ummer is back and we note the first signs of whatever passes for normal with the restaurant industry and the rest of the world attempting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants are coming back and coming back strong with new ideas, new approaches and a new modus operandi which ensures a healthy way forward. Always hoping that Malta and the rest of the world will not be forced into another lockdown. That would indeed be a dramatic scenario. That would be the final straw for an industry that has struggled a lot over the past months.

It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine ... it’s summertime! Kenny Chesney

Yet let us be positive. The industry has shown signs of resilience and an ability to adapt which will surely play a key role in their short, medium, and long-term sustainability. Consumer trends are also another sign to look positively at the future. Ironically though, the industry is currently facing an unprecedented shortage of resources which is causing a huge strain on food outlets. This is a matter which needs to be addressed quickly to avoid unnecessary problems to a sector which has already suffered significant losses.

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Let us hope for the best. Wish you all a pleasant summer!

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INDEX

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Work Her

MAGIC

SILVIA FEDERICA BOLDETTI

An Act

OF LOVE

NATHAN GATT

A Hidden

GEM

SURF N TURF

Embracing

PLANT-BASED

BRETT LAVENDER AND JASON RENWICK

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NEW DISPLAYS ON ANCIENT ROMAN FOOD AT THE DOMVS ROMANA BY WARREN BUGEJA Executive Communications, Heritage Malta

Rython

n Oscilla, a marble disk with a carved relief of a theatrical

mask on one side and a griffin on another, hangs between two columns in the peristyle at the Domvs Romana in Rabat, a silent signpost to a room erstwhile dedicated to feasting and inebriation.

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Virgil’s verses describing an Oscilla from his ‘Georgics’ is a fitting introduction to the world of the Triclinium, a Roman dining room, where guests ate reclining on their left-hand sides on couches in a hierarchical arrangement. The Triclinium, with its mosaic border fragment, featuring a garland of theatrical masks, apples, pomegranates, and pears, faces the peristyle. It opens up to the adjacent oecus, an extension of the dining area used for entertainment. The Romans rose early at sunrise and commenced their day with a minimal breakfast (ientaculum) in the morning, often leftovers from the night before, followed by a light lunch (prandium). A sought-after invitation to Cena or dinner was solicited at the baths during the afternoon. The early evening meal was an essential interlude in the patron-client business relationship over which an affluent pater-familias presided.

Mosaic border of Triclinium

…IN JOLLY HYMNS, THEY PRAISE THE GOD OF WINE, WHOSE EARTHEN IMAGES ADORN THE PINE, AND THERE ARE HUNG ON HIGH, IN HONOUR OF THE VINE… Whereas the lower classes in Ancient Rome lived on a diet of pottage or puls, a mixture of ground-wheat or barley and water with vegetables and lentils, olive oil, bread, and occasional meatballs, the inhabitants of the Domvs most likely had access to more exotic food such as eels, snails and the ubiquitous garum, a fish sauce made from fermented fish parts. Delicacies such as dormice in honey, flamingo tongues, peacocks, and the ‘pastry eggs stuffed with unborn bird embryo’ served during Trimalchio’s nouveau-riche, fictionalised banquet in Petronius’ Satyricon might seem unusual menu choices for the modern palate. Yet, surprisingly according to the Roman Historian Tacitus, horsemeat was considered ‘profane’ for human consumption. In 1960 a piece of carbonised dough was found within the ruins of the Roman tower at Ta’ Æawhar located between Œal Safi and Ÿurrieq. Originally thought to be a piece of bread, “it is the only evidence, apart from knife incisions on animal bones, that we have of Roman food in Malta,” explains David Cardona, Senior Curator for Phoenician, Roman, and Medieval sites at Heritage Malta. The dough will form part of a series of new interpretation

panels and screen displays that constitute some of the activities commemorating the 140th anniversary of the Domvs Romana’s accidental discovery in 1881. Amongst the fine North African ceramic, red slipped plates and bowls, a copper trefoil ewer, and a striking glass amphora on display, the eye is drawn to a horn-shaped drinking vessel tapering to a stylized snail’s head which serves as a spout. The glass ‘Rython’ was used in drinking games held during the ‘commisatio’ (drinking party) that often followed festive banquets. Roman wine, which was very strong and mixed with water and honey, was poured from above into the Rython, and drinkers would have to aim the Dyonisian nectar into their mouths. Many of the food items that today we take for granted in Mediterranean cuisine, such as corn, potatoes, aubergines, peppers, courgettes, green beans, or tomatoes, had not yet been discovered by the ancient Romans. “They had no sugar either, which is one of the reasons why the casts from Pompeii and Herculaneum have very healthy teeth,” affirms Janica Buhagiar, Curatorial Coordinator for Roman Sites at Heritage Malta. Among the most coveted seasonings was laserpitium, or laser, the extract of wild giant fennel (silphium), which the Romans loved so much that they ate the plant into extinction. “Laser was not only a versatile culinary ingredient but was used for medicinal purposes as well as a digestive aid. It was also believed to be a contraceptive.” The Romans cooked their food in multi-nuanced layers of herbs and spices, including savory, rue, lovage, coriander, myrtle, and bayberries. Cumin was their go-to spice of choice, and it is no coincidence that the Island of Comino derives its name from the seed which was once cultivated on its shores. They sweetened their food with Passum, a wine made from raisins, Defrutum from grape must, dates and honey. Sweet and savoury flavours were frequently juxtaposed in the same dish. A popular dessert that makes an appearance in Apicius’ first century AD cookbook might not be quite the crowd-pleaser today. His honey and pear Patina (a type of custard) was cooked with cumin, fish sauce, and black pepper!

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WORK HER

MAGIC INTERVIEW WITH

SILVIA FEDERICA BOLDETTI 10

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Pastry Queen 2016, AMPI (Italian Master Patissier Academy) teacher and consultant, Silvia Federica Boldetti, has earned a reputation as one of the most talented female pastry chefs in the world. La Signiorina Fantasia as she is commonly know in the industry, is driven by a want for magic. Her culinary drive is driven by an inner need to create magic. For her, magic is everything that goes around pastry. Silvia gave Delicious a sneak peek into her extravagant and colourful world.

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Is it fair to say that your career in world of pastry happened by chance? I think nothing happens by chance. I was looking for that but having followed another path made it not such easy. So I needed to “create my opportunity”

I recently read that your soul keeps looking for magic. What does magic mean to you? Everything is magical. It depends on how you are looking at it. I’m a person who looks at the world as it is something undiscovered, to find that something precious hidden in everything. The ability to see the beauty hidden in everyday things makes it magic.

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How would you define your style? Creative, colourful, joyful.

In what way do your simplicity and femininity inspire you? I really do not know. Probably it is a natural attitude: men and women have different approaches to things. No one is better, just different: probably usually we have a sensitiveness that many men do not have. But I look at people just because they are human, not focusing on the difference between their sexes.

IT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND TO COMMUNICATE. EVERYONE IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PLEASURE, BUT IF YOU ARE ABLE TO USE IT WELL, IT CAN BECOME A REAL BUSINESS CHANNEL

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Where do we find traces of your extensive travels in your patisserie? The more we travel the more we see the bigger horizons through travelling. I have made many experiences and for this, my baggage includes my travels too and people and cultures I met.

Why are sugar and chocolate a great challenge to manage? In general, all pastry is a challenge to manage because it is a “living stuff”, always different, always in movement. Sugar and chocolate, to make showpieces, requires not just fantasy and technique but also a manual skill that not all people could manage in the same way: as a sculptor or a painter.

You are actively present on all media from TV, social networks to trade press. To what extent is media presence fundamental for any chef? Nowadays, yes. Is the easiest and fastest way to connect within people and to communicate. Everyone is on social media for pleasure, but if you are able to use it well, it can become a real business channel, because you can reach an important amount of people, both to communicate who you are and what you do, and to sell products or courses.

How do you succeed in a male-dominated culinary world? Just being myself and not to care about “them”. We are all people: I think I have nothing less than a man, neither more. We are just different. And yes, I’m not so easy to shut up!

What word of advice would you give to someone vying a career in the pastry world? Study, gain experience from the bottom. I would tell them to make everything step by step. Not to begin already thinking of becoming the new “Bachour” in the world. The problem is that now pastry is fashionable and many young people begin it just to become a social star, without knowing all the sacrifice, time and efforts needed to be a pastry chef, before being everything else. And never give up even if they fail or someone else tells them it is impossible. If it is their dream, they will eventually achieve it.

What’s next for you? I love to make new projects and ideas: it is impossible for me to be in a square and remain in it. Now I’m working a lot online, not just for courses and pastry, but also to help people in marketing online. Many projects... but I do not want to say everything, just invite people to follow me.

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An Act

OF LOVE NATHAN GATT Interview with

What encourages an engineer to develop an interest in the culinary industry? Essentially it is the love for food, good food. To Nathan Gatt believes food is a gateway of memories and evokes thousands of experiences which are hard to explain in a few words. Truly so, food is a bit of every piece of Nathan’s life. It touches on every component that forms his microcosm. Nathan shared with Delicious his interest in food, the Manzo Maiale cooking venture and his plans for the future. 16

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What does food mean to you? Food is an act of love and a way to connect with our loved ones. Even those who are no longer with us. For millennia, from one generation to another, preparing and providing food has always been as an act of love. Food is also a gateway to memories. Memories such as that of freshly baked Maltese bread or pasta with freshly picked tomatoes from my late grandfather’s field prepped by my aunt on a hot summer’s day; helping my late grandmother pick up eggs from her hen house or plucking feathers from raised pigeons or chickens for a warm broth on a cold winter night; or my other grandmother’s aljotta, made from fish caught by my late grandfather who was an avid fisherman. Food keeps these memories alive.

What inspires an engineer to invest his time in a food concept? Food destresses me and gives me a sense of fulfillment which is very hard to describe. Cooking food gives me a sense of happiness as it’s a creation which you are sharing

with others to enjoy - no matter the size of the crowd I’m cooking for, it could be just a daily weekday meal for my wife or having family and friends over. Having a group of people sat around a table, enjoying the company of one another and having them interested and wanting to understand what is in their plate, where it came from, how it was cooked, and criticizing how it tastes is something which gives me a lot of self-satisfaction and it is something which helps me continue on improving.

The famous American critic, Harriet van Horne once noted; “Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” To what extent do you agree? To a certain extent I agree with the statement, however

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considering today’s hectic routine, its not easy, especially with the ease of ordering food with a touch of a button or copious amounts of ready-made meals or frozen foods readily available which are ready in minutes. With the right passion for cooking and correct planning, one can cook an amazing dish as little as 10-15 minutes.

Tell us about the Manzo Maiale cooking venture. Manzo Maiale started in late 2019, unknowingly, between James Debono, (a lawyer by profession) and I. With the help of other friends, we hosted a group lunch for circa 40 people just to bring a number of old university friends together, and hosted the event under ‘Manzo Maiale’ just for the fun of it. The event turned out to be quite successful, after which, James and I stuck with the name.

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Word got out by word of mouth, and with consistent encouragement from friends and family and with the power of Instagram, requests from a number of friends and friends of friends started coming in, either to cook for a special occasion or even just to make a day out of it – either from the comfort of their home or in an outdoor setting. Where and what we cook solely depends on the request of who’s hosting. I believe we strike the perfect balance, as he’s the finesse and artsy plating guy, whereas I’m the old soul of the duo, who believes the job is done when it tastes and is cooked right, irrespective on how it looks. We push each other out of our comfort zones, and for that reason, its why I believe that we make a great team.

WE PUSH EACH OTHER OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONES, AND FOR THAT REASON, ITS WHY I BELIEVE THAT WE MAKE A GREAT TEAM.

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WE NEED TO SUPPORT FISHERMEN AND FARMERS AS THE SYSTEM IS FAILING THEM FOR CHEAPER, AT TIMES INFERIOR AND NONSUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS. 20

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You work in the waste industry. What are your views about food waste?

What makes the project stand out of such a busy crowd? As hobbyists and not professional cooks, we try to push the limits of what constitutes a normal bbq. The aim of Manzo Maiale is to marry the raw and rustic aspect of open fire cooking techniques from around the world, with the art of plating thus presenting and merging a variety of old cooking techniques in a modern way. This itself will draw people in for them to learn about a variety of techniques, not native to our culture.

What are your thoughts on the local food industry? I personally think that we are surrounded by wonderful products and fresh produce however more often than not, are taken for granted or disregarded, even since the price tag might be slightly more elevated than the imported produce. For some reason, as a culture we tend to push for foreign produce, new things, which is good when kept in balance as it instills imagination and creativity. However, we have very good local quality products which are right in front of us and we don’t use them enough. We tend to push for quantity and convenience rather than quality. We need to support local. We need to support fishermen and farmers as the system is failing them for cheaper, at times inferior and non-sustainable products.

How is the COVID-19 pandemic changing the food industry? There are two sides to how COVID-19 impacted the food industry. On one end, the negative impact on restaurants and businesses in the sector – with hundreds of families affected. On the flip side, this has helped people re-kindle the love for home cooking and appreciation to home or outdoor gatherings between friends and family gathered around a table full of homemade cooked food. Social media also left an impact during this period with millions of videos and photos shared which intrigued so many people to start cooking.

Far too much waste is generated per capita, and this needs to change. We need to grasp the concept and educate on food planning, portioning and what constitutes as food scraps. Seeing approximately 500T of domestic food waste discarded every week nationwide is worrying (just from the organic bag). That alone transpires to approximately 1kg of food waste thrown away each week by every citizen on the island. That’s quite a high figure. Although such waste is used to generate electricity, and thus considered as a renewable resource, it’s a pity that such waste quantities exist in the first place. What a lot of people consider as food scraps could be the base for another dish, and thus one would be maximizing food potential from an item and reducing waste, e.g. vegetable peels or old fruit could be the base of an amazing broth/soup or dessert, respectively. I strongly believe that educating on eating habits, portioning, and the type of food which is procured (whilst pushing for local fresh produce and shying away from more convenient, and at times cheaper pre-packaged and processed food) will also help to tackle nationwide health issues in Malta, such as obesity and diabetes.

Has society understood the importance of reducing food waste? Not as much as is required. This will require a cultural change and has to be tackled at grassroot level. At the moment the push is to reduce the consumption of single use plastics and pollution which is having a far more adverse effect on the environment, however the issue is to remain as a top list priority on the agenda, and if necessarily tackled immediately.

What’s next for you? James and I, being hobbyists, are trying to push the concept of building a community under the Manzo Maiale name considering our professions and our professional ambitions. Such a community consists of home cooks, food enthusiasts and even (ex-)chefs which will contribute and help us grow the Manzo Maiale name. Whilst still pushing the out in the field concept to entertain, we are looking to building a community which educates, entertains and helps the local food scene for a more sustainable food future.

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Why we should be rooting for

DANIEL HUMM AND HIS DECISION TO GO FULLY PLANT-BASED

by Ivan Brincat - foodandwinegazette.com

When Eleven Madison Park, New York reopens on 10 June, it will be the world’s first three Michelin star plant-based restaurant. Will it retain three stars when Michelin inspectors visit again? Will they make an exception? Will they see this as the sign of the times? And more importantly, can Daniel Humm reinvent himself as the world’s leading vegetable and plant-based chef having reached the pinnacle already once?

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For those who don’t know Daniel Humm, he is chef and today the owner of Eleven Madison Park, a three Michelin star restaurant in New York and one that has already been World’s 50 Best Restaurants no 1 restaurant in 2017. The Swiss chef is not one to shy away from challenges and his story is nothing short of fascinating. Having failed to make his mark in cycling when he was young, he set his sights on cooking as a way of reaching the top. One story he says is that of being sent home when he was young for telling his art teacher he could not draw a house he had in mind because the paper was too small, Daniel is setting himself up for the greatest challenge of all.

The pandemic has clearly given each and every one of us a lot of time to think and reflect. For some this has meant the need for reinvention and at 45, Daniel is on the cusp of doing something that is not only bold and risky but also inspiring. Like many other chefs across the world, he turned his 3 Michelin star restaurant kitchen into a soup kitchen cooking over 1 million meals for the food insecure in New York. It is a project that helped him reconnect with food in a completely different way and one he wants to continue. But most of all, it has given him time to think about a more sustainable future. When the restaurant reopens, he will no longer be serving his signature dishes from duck to caviar or langoustines. Instead, vegetables will take centre stage. In a world that needs to do something about a looming climate crisis, Daniel Humm knows that drastic change is required. He could have taken an easier option creating exceptions here and there. Instead he is leading from the top and putting his money where his mouth is. They say that the best creativity comes from creating constraints and in this he is clearly creating the largest possible constraints known to chefs. Gone are the use of butter, eggs, animal fat which are the foundation of cuisine and flavour and instead Daniel will use ‘time’ and creativity to create deliciousness. Can time be the new caviar? It certainly is the new luxury. He himself said in an interview that creating something special with a vegetable takes much longer than doing it with meat or fish. And that’s understandable because we all are accustomed to meat or fish taking centre stage in any meal so thinking about a vegetable or plant as a centre-piece requires a lot of out of the box thinking. Daniel said that the change is easier to make now that the restaurant is closed and he thinks it would not have been possible to change to plant-based from one day to the next if the restaurant had been open.

The pandemic has been a great accelerator of change. This is one of the largest changes that I’ve seen in the food and restaurant world. Daniel should be not only applauded but also supported for making this decision. Other chefs have attempted a vegetable-based cuisine at very high levels. We all remember René Redzepi of Noma with his summer vegetable based menu (which this year will be supplemented with seafood because as René himself said the Copenhagen market alone is not yet ready for a full vegetarian menu. Then there was Alain Passard who has been using vegetables more and more in his cuisine but never completely eliminating meat or fish from the menu. But never has one before announced going fully plant-based. The cost of a meal at Eleven Madison Park remains the same but each meal will also help feed 5 insecure people in New York. What’s most important, however, is that customers will no longer pay for the ‘caviar’, which they can eat in any case at home, but rather for the creativity and the time of the restaurant staff. Story telling will be extremely important. How this story is told will not just make or break the restaurant but it could have a major impact on how we look at food at the highest level in future. There will be some who will call this a publicity stunt, who might criticise the price for eating vegetables and ‘salad’, albeit in the hands of one of the world’s best chefs. Some will say that this does not really make a difference to our future. After all can one restaurant change the world? But it is such action at the very top that can inspire future generations to take the plunge and reinvent the way we look at food and sustainability. Of course there are many approaches, some better than others, some more drastic than others but what’s important is that we take the steps to make the world more sustainable. Rooting for Daniel is rooting for our future. That’s why it is essential that he succeeds.

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I’D RATHER BE STABLE AND WORK HARD FOR FIVE YEARS TO CATCH UP FINANCIALLY – RENÉ REDZEPI COPENHAGEN: When Noma reopens on 1 June it will be a special reopening despite the difficulties the restaurant has faced over the past months. With most of the team dispersed around the four corners of the world. René Redzepi has decided to wait for the reopening despite the financial and mental hardships of the past few months.

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And for the first day, he is inviting 100 guests who have made a difference in people’s lives throughout the pandemic. “At first we called hospitals and asked to invite doctors but they told us that this was not possible because of Danish rules on bribery. They are not able to accept any gifts. Instead we have called on our local guests to nominate someone that has made a difference. It could be a doctor, a nurse or someone who has carried the groceries for someone in need. We had 3,500 applications and our staff were crying going through the applications reading some of the heartbreaking stories. We want to bring in these people as a way of thanking them, as a way of doing

something special for people who did special things,” the Danish chef of Noma said. That invitation is also open to another 100 people from outside Denmark but in this case, this will be made possible when they can travel to the restaurant. While restaurants in Denmark reopened on 21 April, René Redzepi said Noma would reopen on 1 June because most of the team was not in Copenhagen. “We thought that the reopening would take place either in mid-May or 1 June so most of the team are not in Denmark,” he said. Speaking about the first day of the

“THIS MENU IS THE CULMINATION OF ALL OUR FRUSTRATIONS OF THE PAST MONTHS, OF OUR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. AND ALSO OF THE GOOD MOMENTS OF JUMPING INTO COLD WATER OR HIKING A MARATHON. IT WILL BE REFLECTED IN 15-1617 BITES,” HE SAID. by Ivan Brincat - foodandwinegazette.com

reopening, René said that he had sat down with his management team and had asked how do they open up again, how do they reconnect with people. “The main question for us was how to reopen a restaurant in 2021. That was how the idea came about.” In a panel discussion Green Minds Think Alike moderated by food journalist and GELINAZ! founder Andrea Petrini, the Danish chef spoke of the difficulties of the past few months. “The second lockdown hit me much harder than the first. I had some really bad weeks where I could not recognise myself. I know that the majority of my team also had these strong reactions and were questioning when all this would end,” he said. There was this anxiety that I needed to deal with. “This was new to me. I did not have this in the first lockdown but in the second lockdown, there was this anxiety that I needed to deal with,” he said. Redzepi said that to counter this, he would go to the restaurant every day and work on the new menu as if the restaurant would reopen the next day. “It was also the reason why we started walking and set up a hiking group. We had a swim group and jumped into the ice-cold waters of

Copenhagen and we had a sauna group. I read so many books to have a clear mind and stay ahead,” he said. The restaurant has lost a lot of money over the past months even though it received financial aid. “With the financial aid, we could cover 80 per cent of our costs and I am really grateful for this but the rest is on us and we have not fired anyone from our team,” he said. He told Andrea Petrini that while the next years are going to be tough financially it was more important to stay healthy, strong and mentally creative as a team. “What does it matter to have a lot of money if you are not stable. I’d rather be stable and work five years to catch up financially,” he said. Speaking about the menu, Redzepi said that it will reflect Noma’s philosophy of presenting time and place on a plate. “We are on our second menu now. We prepared the first menu but now we are entering the summer season so that menu will never be served. It will not be a full vegetarian menu unlike previous years because we expect to have mainly local guests and as a small society we do not have enough guests to fill a vegetarian season. We will serve a little seafood and shell fish but for sure what is edible at the moment will be served on the menu.” he said.

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EMILIE QVIST KJAERGAARD Photo by Liv Kastrup for Okologisk Landsforening

by Ivan Brincat - foodandwinegazette.com

Young chef Emilie Qvist Kjaergaard is opening a restaurant in the middle of nowhere and has impressed even René Redzepi for her courage. The 26 year old Danish chef, who has accumulated experience in places like Amass and Relae in Copenhagen and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York went to a small fishing town in the northern part of Jutland for the first time in February and will be opening a restaurant there next month. “It is a fishing village in the middle of nowhere. There is nothing but a harbour and 2,000 inhabitants. But instead of seeing it as a bad thing, we choose to see it as a good thing. We want to show that other parts of Denmark are great,” Emilie told Andrea Petrini during an online panel discussion called Green Minds think Alike. René Redzepi, commenting on her decision to open the restaurant Medvind said he did not think people realised just how crazy this decision was. “The place where she is opening a restaurant is a really special place but it is incredible to think that before February she had never been there. Emilia represents the future. She is spontaneous, energetic and a go-getter. She can change the world and she is doing it step by step,” he said. “She has decided to put herself in the most difficult place she can be in the whole of Denmark but this spontaneity is something that we have missed in the restaurant trade,” he said.

A CHEF’S QUEST TO OPEN A RESTAURANT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE Emilie said that she chose to open the restaurant there with her partner Emma because she believed that rather than importing all the food she should cook it where it is grown. “The question for me was to go where the food is rather than to get the food to a place like Copenhagen,” she said. “All the greens and vegetables will be from local producers while she will be serving lots of fresh fish which she will get from local fishermen. I have come back from an experience with Dan Barber and my cooking is very simple. It is all about flavour. What I want to do is get the best products and serve simple and honest food. I will be serving grilled fish and this week we have installed a barbecue in the middle of the kitchen so we will see now this goes,” Emilie said. The restaurant will open in less than a month and she says it is a bit crazy but she is positive that it will work. “I am not coming from outside to preach to the locals. What we have done from the start is to get them involved. We went to the fish auction and told them that we were planning a fish restaurant. All the things we could get here were deep fried fish that were imported from the Netherlands when we are surrounded by fish. There were many things which did not make sense to me,” she said.

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HIDDEN Gem

IN THE HEART OF BUÆIBBA LIES SURF N TURF, A GASTRONOMIC GEM AND A TRUE EXPONENT OF LOCAL FOOD EXCELLENCE.

he recently revamped and restored Surf N Turf is home to some mind-blowing seasonal dishes which include their famous octopus tart, chicken

liver parfait, rabbit caramelle and aged duck. For those with a sweet tooth, Surf N Turf will surely

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not disappoint you. Their vanilla panna cotta and their Chocolate textures are surely worth a try. Every dish creates a perfect marriage between taste, flavour and aesthetic. Every dish stresses on natural, sustainable food, sourced from local reliable farmers and food producers.

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Above all, every dish conveys Chef Kerstin Manicalo’s talent, passion and creativity. Passionate about food from a young age – not just preparing it, Kerstin is one of Malta’s best gastronomic ambassadors. Bold, humble, ambitious and energetic is the right way to define Kerstin’s personality. His eyes reflect a strong will to succeed in such a cutthroat industry. Surf N Turf is his Zen where he enjoys experimenting and putting his ethos into practice. The detail, the colours, the flavours are a true reflection of his gastronomic philosophy. His philosophy focuses on new ways of dismantling traditional precepts of food, bringing experiential dining to the table. A philosophy he nurtured in some of the best local restaurants, including the Hilton

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as well as onboard superyachts internationally. Indeed, his dishes include unconventional marriages which bring together octopus and guanciale. His gastronomic religion is based on the principle to keep it simple, exalt the beauty in every ingredient and above all ensure it tastes amazing. Yet a good chef is only half of the equation. Food is not the only reason we go to restaurants – we also go for the atmosphere, company, and because we simply want to have a break from trying our hand at whipping up a meal. Kerstin’s talent in the kitchen is complemented by the experience of Joshua Borg, an award-winning sommelier and front of house management expert. Joshua managed the

THE DETAIL, THE COLOURS, THE FLAVOURS ARE A TRUE REFLECTION OF HIS GASTRONOMIC PHILOSOPHY.

front of house of top venues including the Hilton. With their combined expertise, in less than two years Surf N Turf has been awarded an array of prestigious awards including the WRMC 2018 Top Maltese Chef Award and WRMC 2018 Top Front of House Manager Award. In its history, WRMC had never awarded these two awards to the same outlet in the same year. Their undisputable talent is well complemented by the outlet’s ambience and decor. Surf N Turf has that sense of glamour and chic where elegance and luxury are exuded. This is spelt out in the choice of furniture, in the choice of colours and wallpaper, in the decor and in other details you will come across whilst dining at Surf N Turf. The Surf N Turf food experience is certainly not to be missed. The food, the place and the service perfectly come together to make sure you will not be disappointed.

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June 2021

Nenu the Baker:

the Driving Force Behind Maypole

QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ARE THE TWO MAINSTAYS OF OUR APPROACH TO BAKING AND IT HAS PAID OFF. 32

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Today, the Maypole brand is to be found all over the Maltese Islands. Besides its flagship Œobÿa tal-Malti, the rustic Maltese loaf, Maypole retail outlets in most of our towns and villages offer other baked products such as bread rolls and a variety of pastries, sideby-side with a wide range of grocery items. We met Nenu Debono, the baker behind the Maypole brand, and the driving force that converted a young boy’s passion for Maltese bread into the national institution and thriving business that it has become.

The façade of the first Maypole outlet in Victory Street, Qormi that was inaugurated on 24 December 1988.

Maypole Chairperson Carmel Debono known as Nenu.

How did your association with Maypole begin and what made it what it is today?

Nenu, how did you become so passionate about being a baker, and about the Œobÿa tal-Malti? I am from Qormi, a village renowned for baking and for freight haulage. My father was the living proof of both. He was himself a baker, but after he married my mother, he moved into the haulage business. He never severed his links with the bakery business however, since he specialised in hauling flour, supplying bakeries all over the island. He remained passionate about the Œobÿa tal-Malti, and instilled the passion for that most staple of Maltese products, into all his six children, especially in the fourth and middle one, myself. I was born in 1950, and at the time, Qormi came alive in the small hours of the morning. Bakers would set off to fire up their ovens, rolled up their sleeves, and started working to ensure that fresh bread was available and ready to be delivered first thing in the morning. Bread was more than just a staple, basic food. It signified a way of life, and a community culture that gives us an identity. I can never forget the faces of the bakers walking back home in late morning, all white-faced with the flour dust, obviously tired, yet serene in the knowledge that their job had been done. That was the life that enticed and beckoned to me. I answered that call and would become a baker myself.

My father was a flour supplier to bakeries all over this island. This included a bakery in Blata l-Bajda. The owner of this bakery was the owner of the Maypole brand. At that time, they had decided to sell the brand and, somehow, I managed to convince my father to buy the brand with all its contractual obligations, which we managed to honour through an agreement with one of my father’s friends, Joe Zammit, known as Æuÿeppi ç-Çirwilla. This arrangement, unprecedented at the time, involved him subletting us his bakery in Gÿira for a number of hours a day. It was 1968 and would lead to much more than I could have expected. You see, Joe had a daughter, called Angela. Our paths crossed through the alternation of the two-family shifts inside the same premises, and a mutual attraction was born. It is no wonder that in an environment where flour is leavened by mother dough, our love flourished and led to our marriage and eventual six children. The business flourished too, and benefitted from the hard work and the passion we put into it. Besides honouring the contractual obligations that we had bought into, and retaining the flour distribution activities, we slowly started increasing our business. Acquiring Maypole had always been my dream and ambition, so in 1973 I took two huge steps in one giant leap. I married Angela and bought Maypole from my father. I was only 23 at the time. The hard work never let up, and that is how, slowly but surely, we grew to what we are today. Quality and customer satisfaction are the two mainstays of our approach to baking and it has paid off. With time, my three sons have joined the business, injecting new blood, new ideas

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Coctail: Il-Mejilla Rabbit Liver

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4, Main Street, L-Imġarr 143, St Dominic Street, Valletta www.nenuthebaker.com

22 581 570 22 581 535 info@nenuthebaker.com

Pork shank

Governm

ent vouc hers acc ept

Octopus stew

15 July 1973: Nenu and Angela on their wedding day

and new energy in our operations, all assuming different yet complementary roles. This led to another major step in Maypole’s development. In 2012, we moved all our baking operations to our very own state-of-the-art production facility, appropriately named THE BAKERY, at Tal-Œandaq in Qormi. We also have no less than 27 retail outlets proudly sporting the Maypole name in strategic points geographically distributed all over the Maltese Islands. We also relatively recently launched our second restaurant named ‘Nenu the Artisan Baker’ in Mæarr, the capital for Maltese-style eating out, plus an outside catering activity, which also includes deliverable party menus.

Where do you see the Company going in the future? I myself have retired, even though my day would not be complete without a taste of the bakery floor. My three sons, Mario, James and Sebastian are now overall in charge of the company, and head a dedicated board of directors and a large number of employees whom we consider to be the Maypole family, that are hired through the recruitment of suitable professionals in various areas of expertise such as marketing, financial control, quality and hygiene standards. However, my sons have insisted that I maintain my

BREAD WAS MORE THAN JUST A STAPLE, BASIC FOOD. IT SIGNIFIED A WAY OF LIFE, AND A COMMUNITY CULTURE THAT GIVES US AN IDENTITY.

contact to help them ensure that the original family values are still at the heart of our business, since they believe that my active participation brings a wealth of experience and knowhow to the table. From where I am sitting, our most recent developments point the road to the future. We are now aiming to develop our operations into the higher-end segments of the market as well. We are introducing new products and levels of service, the latest being our range of liqueurs with Maltese traditional flavours produced under the Nenu the Artisan Baker label. Our two restaurants bearing the same name, in Valletta and Mæarr, have assumed a popularity all of their own, putting Maltese-style eating out back on the social calendar. Suitable liqueurs, complementary to our delicious ftiras were a must. Maypole has also picked up the baton of environmental awareness and protection. We are aiming to the most sustainable means of production, packaging and distribution, and I am proud to say that our policies are now reflecting people’s concerns about climate change and the environment. From the massive reduction of plastic bag use, to our responsible energy policies in the bakery, we are going way beyond what we are legally obliged to do, by doing what we feel morally obliged to do – which is much more.

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Artisan Ice Cream A Genuine Handcrafted Local Produce +356 21555655

DELICIOUS June 2021 37 tag us on instagram @dgelatomalta www.d-gelato.com Artisan Ice Cream

Something

NEW

INTERVIEW WITH

ISAAC SALIBA

MANOUCHE BISTRO 38

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fter having established themselves as one of the leading eateries on the island for breakfast, brunch sweets and pastries, Manouche will launch in August a new bistro concept in Paceville. The new concept will be spearheaded by one of best talents in the local food industry - Isaac Saliba. Delicious recently caught up with Isaac to discuss the new concept, what to expect in their menu and how will it stand out of such a busy crowd.

Tell us about the new concept to be launched in August? It will be a contemporary bistro that includes new modern designs while using the same concept as Manouche. It will be open for breakfast/brunch, lunch and also dinner. We will be using burgundy colours, wood finishes, lights and upholstery to match the same interior in Manouche, St. Julians. The type of food we prepare to serve is relatively similar to the classic items Manouche is renowned for; therefore, there will always be the client’s favourites on the menu. These include fresh pastries, pain au chocolat, croissants, cronuts, and other products you always find freshly baked daily. Additionally, we will also serve the legendary breakfast that makes Manouche unique, including several new dishes. Furthermore, we will continue to use fresh and local produce as we constantly do and supplementing the menu with a variety of fresh meat and fresh fish, plated desserts, new flavours. An exciting menu, that’s for sure.

The new concept has been entrusted in your hands. How will your experience help Manouche Bistro stand out from such a busy crowd? I believe the experience I earned over the past years in several high-quality hotels and restaurants in Malta will help me in this new project. I am sure that with the support of the directors and the team, we will ensure the outlet will truly stand out of the crowd.

Why did you opt for Paceville? Paceville is changing drastically; new offices, fashion boutiques, cafeterias and restaurants are being introduced in the area rather than how I recall it with mostly nightclubs. So yes, Paceville will stand out.

Why is the new concept worth a try? When you think of it, people love Manouche. We have an outstanding response from a strong clientele, and we frequently receive excellent reviews, which give us opportunities to develop and come with new concepts.

What specialty should we look out for? I guess the lobster and crab croissant. These might be one of the top sellers, but there will be more exciting dishes and, I am looking forward to cooking and serve our clients.

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AARON

DEGABRIELE Started his career 32 years ago as one of the first students at the Institute of Tourism Studies. Graduated as ‘Best Student Chef’ following the food and preparation course, also graduated as ‘Master Chef’ by the University of Malta. For the past 13 years he forms part of the trio of chefs hosting Malta’s popular cooking shows , Aroma Kitchen and Dine or Dishes. With a baggage of more than 30 years of experience in the industry, he is currently Chef patron of Aaron’s Kitchen and Aaron’s City vault restaurants in Valletta. He was awarded the ‘Micheline Guide’ recognition for quality plaque, which he values not just as a personal achievement but also a recognition to local cuisine, which he has so much at heart.

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BEETROOT TORTELLACI WITH CHICKPEAS INGREDIENTS: For the Dough

For the Filling

For the Sauce

Tortellaci Method

200g Cooked Beetroot 350g Flour 1 Egg Pinch of Salt 1 tbsp Olive Oil

2 cans Chickpeas 1 Garlic Clove 1 tsp Tahina Zest & Juice of 1 Lime 1 Red Chilli finely diced Chopped Parsley 1 mashed Sweet Potato

200g Pumpkin 1 Onion 2 tbs Butter 1tub Cream Grated Nutmeg Baby Spinach Hazelnuts

• Roll the dough into a 2mm thick sheet, cut into 6cm square shape, brush edges with water.

Method

• Whizz all the ingredients together into a smooth paste, correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

• Peel and cut the pumpkin and onion, place in a sauce pan, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, cover with cream and simmer until soft. Add a spoon full of butter and whizz into a smooth purée.

Method • Whizz the beetroot into a smooth purée, and in the egg and a pinch of salt. • Add the olive oil and flour and knead into a stiff smooth dough.

• Pipe a blob of filling in the centre of the dough, flip over to a tangular shape. Take in your hand, hold filled part with your finger and pinch edges around to form into a large tortellini shape. • Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook the tortellaci in boiling water until they float to the top. Drain and transfer to a pan with the sauce sauté for 30 seconds until evenly dressed. • Serve right away.

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June 2021

SUMMER

ROOTS

REVIEW ON ROOT 81

t is impressive how Root 81 continues to impress in its food and service. The restaurant is a true gem blessed by the creative hands of one of Malta’s leading chefs, Robert Cassar. Indeed, Robert together with his team continues to create incredible dishes with that little touch of wow which changes any dining experience from a normal experience to something you will remember for a long time.

It is by no coincidence that in a recent review, Root 81 was described as; “spectacular in so many ways.” It is by no coincidence either that Root 81 was confirmed for the second consecutive year in the Malta Michelin Guide 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has not deterred their mood and their summer menu is a clear proof of their culinary abilities. Indeed, their summer menu is an interesting combination of starters, pasta, main courses and sweets to finish off with. Their starter selection includes; asparagus with

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egg yolk, almond crisp, cherry tomatoes and pomegranate chutney; salmon tartare with cucumber, smoked mussels, salmon roe and infused milk gel; and oxtail croquettes with yoghurt, courgettes and leek powder. Their selection of pasta is also to die for. Indeed, their paccheri with Maltese sausage ragu’ are surely worth a try. The malfade with prawns, chorizo, bisque and chives are also an interesting choice for pasta lovers. Main course at Root 81 is a must. Their “kustilja tal-majjal” is a celebration of local produce. It is cooked to perfection exalting the taste only local pork offers and accompanied with jus, potato mash and pea tart. For those who love local rabbit, they should surely opt for the saddle of local rabbit with pancetta, local peach, dauphinoise, kidney and mustard jus. Sweet lovers will never be disappointed at Root 81. Pistacchio cheescake, apple crumble and imqaret are a few sweet options you will come across in the Root 81 summer menu. This impressive menu is well complemented by an excellent service and a sweet breeze. Root 81 is indeed a celebration of food which reaches its epitome during the summer season. The choice of food prepared during this time of the year is simply amazing and worth to enjoy with your loved ones. Booking is certainly a must so as to avoid any unnecessary disappointments. Once you are there, pull out a chair, take a taste, come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious!

THE CHOICE OF FOOD PREPARED DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR IS SIMPLY AMAZING AND WORTH TO ENJOY WITH YOUR LOVED ONES.

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Embracing Plant-Based INTERVIEW WITH

BRETT LAVENDER AND JASON RENWICK Danish gastronomy has undergone a rapid transition in the last decades earning a reputation as one of the world’s gastronomic giants. To what do you attribute Denmark’s gastronomic success? Places like Noma put Copenhagen on the map when it came to Nordic cuisine and paved the way for a lot of Scandinavian restaurants, bringing foraging, pickling, fermenting and other local methods to the forefront. It brought out new techniques that were so far removed from classical French cuisine that made a massive impact. The focus has also shifted now to more sustainable practices and Denmark has always had a good reputation when it comes to being innovative in their approach. We want to follow in those footsteps and put ARK on the map when it comes to the plant based narrative.

In what way is Ark a vessel that preserves life? The Ark Collection offers conscious, yet exciting, plant based dining experiences that are both innovative and thought provoking. Through quality craftsmanship and determination, we showcase that plant based food can be exciting and flavour some. With these food characteristics we challenge mindsets and inspire diners to look deeper into their food consumption, potentially easing the current environmental pressure on our planet. Plant based products and sustainability is a thread woven throughout our entire organisation - from food to furniture, and we believe that sustainability isn’t simply an option, but a must, in our business model now and in the future.

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What is your unique approach to the vegan narrative? The plant-based concept is not new to the industry. We are not reinventing the wheel, however, how we approach it and execute it is where the innovation comes into play. The difference lies in the produce sourced locally and the way we present it to our customers. ARK poses a unique and positive approach to the vegan narrative - one that dissolves stereotypes and exceeds expectations. In contrast to other upscale restaurants that are only, partially or periodically plant based, we offer a 100% full time plant-based concept. Our menu focuses on seasonality and, where possible, local produce. We co-own Denmark’s only local and organic mushroom farm - ‘Funga Farm’, where we grow our own mushrooms for our menu.

What encouraged you to go for such an option? Running a high-end restaurant on a full plant-based concept is a massive challenge, but that is part of the reason that we are doing it, we want to encourage people to rethink what is possible with plant based cuisine and be a step ahead for the future of the food industry. It is not easy to appeal to everybody. It is also quite a challenge to keep creating and innovating new dishes for our guests especially when the development of each dish is quite extensive. The response from our customers though is a reassurance that we are on the right path.

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To what extent do you feel the plant-based concept is also a sustainable solution for many restaurants especially following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? Our focus was always to incorporate fresh, local and seasonal ingredients into our menus as we believe this is the only way to ensure quality within our product. Covid 19 has proven to us that we are on the right track with this mindset and has cemented this into our culture. While everyone knows how difficult it has been during this time of global turmoil, it has given us the ability to become more familiar with our suppliers, to create a sense of community, and practice what we preach. As the world has become increasingly uncertain, we have become more confident that we must go above and beyond to pioneer a more sustainable industry.

Some feel that the plant-based concept is just a publicity stunt. We do not feel the plant-based concept is a publicity stunt, it is as a way to educate people on the environmental consequences of eating meat. The environmental issue is a big one, and the plant-based is certainly critical when you think about it in a broader context. To some people it may seem like a publicity stunt and they may jump on the bandwagon for their own gain but to us it is engrained in everything we do, it is a gamble as the hospitality industry as a whole is a highly competitive environment and we have gone a step further to go into a niche within that.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted on Ark? The COVID-19 pandemic had a massive financial impact on us as much as the rest of the industry. Regardless of the challenges we have kept on striving to sustain momentum and the livelihood of our twenty-five staff members. It has actually given us a chance to slow down, reflect and get creative on how we can be even more eco-friendly - with, for example, the development of a more zero waste friendly cocktail card. It has also enabled us to think more creatively about our goals and how we can ensure that our business model is in itself both sustainable and successful. The decision to invest in co-owning our own mushroom farm was greatly influenced by the realisation that urban farming is the way of the future, for both the planet and ourselves.

In what way do you feel the COVID-19 pandemic has redefined the food industry? When the COVID-19 crisis spread across the globe, the restaurant industry was among the most affected ones. Practically overnight, restaurants were ordered to shut down to decrease the risk of virus transmission. To mitigate the severity of financial losses, many restaurants had to shift and adapt to meet customers’ new needs. As a result, restaurants became agile and adaptable with a focus on a local customer base. It’s clear that to survive, restaurant owners have to innovate across all customer-facing operations.

In what way can we reduce pressure on the food cycle? People across the world are becoming increasingly concerned about climate change and there is, rightly, a growing awareness that our diet and food choices have a significant impact on our carbon ‘footprint’ and overall, plant-based foods tend to have a lower carbon footprint than meat and dairy. We also believe, as mentioned earlier, that fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients are the best way to ensure quality while also easing pressure on the environment.

What’s next for Ark? There is an element of survival at the minute and thus our focus is to ensure the sustainability of Ark. We have many ideas in mind. Our primary goal is to show others what can be done with plant-based cuisine and how we can do it better. We are in our early stages of a massive project. The start was not easy yet we believe in what we can achieve and are very positive for the future.

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love Gozo love food enjoy Country Terrace

Country Terrace - Lounge Bar & Restaurant Zewwieqa Street, Mgarr - Gozo T: 2155 0248 M: 9944 6833 E: info@country-terrace.com

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he Terrace at Rampila is on the original gun emplacement overlooking the defensive ditch and the entrance to the City of Valletta. The position, completed in 1582, was connected with the Cavalier of St. John and was designed to be pivotal part of the defence of the city against attacks from the land. Together with the Cavalier of St. James, facing from the opposite side of the Bridge, the fortifications commanded the approaches to Valletta. Today St. John’s Cavalier is the seat of the Embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta while the passage way to the middle wing is where the Rampila Tunnel Restaurant is situated. Alongside the Rampila Wine Bar is what remains of the linking tunnel between the two Cavaliers. Rampila Restaurant today dedicates itself to an entirely more peaceful purpose of offering the finest of cuisine, wines and hospitality in this historic and iconic location.

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June 2021

Summer at

Rebekah’s Review on Rebekah’s restaurant

ummer has quickly taken its toll and together with it, the abundance colourful food this season offers. Indeed, this is a time associated with fresh flavours and vibrant colours that stem out of fresh ripe tomatoes, from sweet peaches and from fresh watermelons. Summer is a time associated with an abundance of fish available.

ingredient of a main course. The attention to detail is incredible. Every plate is pure art which encapsulates the summer season and creates a perfect harmony between sweet, sour, salt, bitter and umami. Every dish also has a strong sense of precision with no ingredient left unattended. Every item is in sync so as to create a perfect chorus. Andrew, together with his team, have prepared a selection of starters to die for which include fresh local amberjack sashimi, black radish, avruga caviar and chilled truffle Dashi. in-house cured duck prosciutto with local asparagus, Valençay chèvre and I.G.P hazelnuts; and local red prawns and monkfish ravioli. The main course selection is nothing less. Pan-fried Guineafowl breast, slow cooked wild boar

The colours, the flavours and the tastes summer offers

fillet and twice baked compte cheese soufflé are a few

come together at Rebekah’s to offer food enthusiasts a

items which explain why this place is truly one of the best

unique gastronomic experience. Every product this season

eateries on the island and why it should truly be considered

offers is exalted by the skillful hands of Chef Andrew Vella.

to be listed in the Michelin guide list. For all those with a

Indeed, Andrew has a unique ability few others have to

sweet tooth, make sure to keep some space for their dessert

turn a starter, main course or desert into something differ-

selection. Savarin with local poached, peach essence and

ent. something impressive, something amazing, something

coconut sorbet, Valrhona cocolate cremeux and amaret-

worth a try or two.

to crème brûlée are a few teasers which should explain why dessert at Rebekah’s is not an option but a must. For

Rebekah’s food revolves around the principle of honouring nature thus the more you keep food simple the

those who are a bit more adventurous in tastes, the Carte Blanche six course tasting menu is worth a try.

more it is appreciated. Their summer menu is no exception. Indeed, Rebekah’s offers an interesting selection of dishes

Rebekah’s is truly the place to be during the summer

which exalt local produce with a French touch and at times,

season. The food, the concepts, the product and the talent

even a slight dose of oriental flavours. This combination

in the kitchen are make any dining experience at Re-

can be envisaged in the detail of a starter or as the core

bekah’s a memorable one.

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June 2021

Taste

of Summer

Review on CAPO CRUDO Risto Lounge

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t is a hot summer evening. A perfect day for a dinner by the sea. Which place offers the ideal setting for a perfect dinner other than Capo Crudo Risto Lounge? Sheltered among the imposing bastions that rest on the Marsamxett harbour shoreline, a few meters away from the Valletta Waterpolo pitch, Capo Crudo is considered by many food critics as one of the best eateries on the island. Indeed, the place offers more than just breathtaking views. The center of attraction at Capo Crudo is food. The menu is indeed a pleasure for the eye with such an impressive selection of crudi, and carpacci to start with which includes octopus carpaccio, local prawn crudi, cured salmon cuts and avocado cream and Farsona beef fillet carpaccio just to mention a few. Food enthusiasts are spoilt for choice at Capo Crudo with an astonishing choice of starters and pasta to follow which includes; burratina di bufala, bouillabaisse, paccheri Gragnano I.G.P gentile with lamb ragout and egg pasta tagliatelle with local fresh fish and bottarga preserved lemon and soft herbs. Main course is a must given the vast selection of fish and meat main courses which include lamb confit, lobster from the tank and braised octopus among others. No meal would end on sweet note without a selection of desserts

to choose from. Every item on the menu has a story waiting to be discovered by all those who choose to dine at Capo Crudo. To accompany every meal, Capo Crudo offers a vast selection of wines available sourced from the best wineries across the globe. The place also boasts a great selection of liquors and spirits which serve as a perfect intro or conclusion to any meal. It is by no coincidence that Capo Crudo boasts an impressive accolade of awards which includes Best Chef Award 2018 - Chef’s Award for artistic Presentation - Front of House Manager Achievement Award - Restaurant Award Winner 2019 - Wine experience of the year 2018 - Awards for the 30 best restaurants in the Maltese Islands - Award for participation Cibo Nostrum 2018 - Award for the top best 50 restaurants Malta - Award for participation Sicilia da Gustare - Silver spoon award 2019 - Award for participation Cookin’Med - 2018 Award winner most popular for Business Entertainment - Award for participation Cibo Nostrum 2019. Capo Crudo was also recently reconfirmed in the Malta Michelin Guide 2021 list. Whilst driving down to Valletta this summer, keep in mind Capo Crudo and make sure you drop for an unforgettable food experience.

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June 2021

Dine Under

THE STARS Interview with

Head Chef

ANDRE SPITERI Restaurant Manager

XHULJANO NUKAJ

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he Summer is on and the team at The Gazebo Restaurant have prepared a delicious menu for your taste buds to discover. Good food is well accompanied by an incredible setting which makes the Gazebo Restaurant the perfect place for a truly exceptional evening on a romantic summer’s eve. Set under the summer star-filled night sky, the alfresco restaurant is situated under fairy-lit olive trees by the pool, offering beautiful sea views. Delicious recently caught up with Chef Andre and Manager Xhuljano who shared with us the Gazebo Restaurant concept and what makes it a dining experience like no other.

Why is The Gazebo Restaurant worth a try? The Gazebo Restaurant is Hilton Malta’s newest dining establishment. Offering delicious meals and tasty cocktails – The Gazebo is only open in the summer months, so don’t wait too long to try it.

What makes the place an ideal romantic location? The Gazebo at Hilton Malta provides you with the perfect summer dining destination for your date nights. Sit beneath the fairy-lit olive trees and relish in the tranquil pool-side surroundings.

What influenced the creation of the Gazebo menu? The menu offers a range of dishes which incorporate a mix of modern and classic cooking techniques. As much as possible, we have sourced seasonal and local ingredients throughout the menu ranging from fish, to pork, to vegetables. The inspiration behind the Gazebo menu stems from Mediterranean and French cuisine. However, the starters also have a touch of Asian influence. When it comes to the grills – these are inspired by the parilla-Argentenian grill which is more commonly translated into Asado. Gaucho grills, parrillas, and asados come from the Argentinian way or tradition of grilling meat over an open fire. They are often used for high heat or low and slow cooking.

How does the place ensure a great atmosphere notwithstanding COVID-19 restrictions? The Gazebo is an outdoor dining venue offering stunning views and a safe environment. Temperature checks are taken at the hotel entrance and sanitization stands are available in various places. Apart from having the tables spaced in line to the requirements, the olive trees themselves also offer further spacing whilst maintain the charm of The Gazebo Restaurant.

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MAFALDINE

WITH CHICKEN, PRAWNS & PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM METHOD Cut the chicken into strips about 2.5cm wide. Grill the mushrooms and set aside. Peel prawns, rinse under cold running water and then pat dry with paper towel. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter together with the olive oil.

INGREDIENTS: 150g Mafaldine Pasta 260g Boneless Chicken Breast Tenders 200g Fresh Local Red Peeled Prawns 6 tbsp Butter /4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves Garlic smashed and minced 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Basil tsp Seasoning 100g Grated Parmesan 200g Fresh Cream 2 Whole Portobello Mushrooms 250ml Chicken Stock 1 slice Parma Ham, roughly cut (oven-dried for 5 minutes for garnish)

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When the butter stops foaming, add the garlic, basil, parsley and seasoning. Reduce to medium-low heat and add the chicken, prawns and some chicken stock. If the prawns are small, add them a few minutes after adding the chicken. Meanwhile cook the pasta until al dente. Continue stirring the prawn and chicken mixture for about 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through. Then add the cream and Parmesan. In the meantime reheat your Portobello mushrooms. Toss the chicken and prawn mixture with the pasta when you are ready to serve, plate on top of the mushroom and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and the oven-dried Parma ham. Serve and enjoy.

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FOUR TYPES OF

GRILLED FISH INGREDIENTS: 8 tbsp Extra Vvirgin Olive Oil, divided Lemon Wedges Fresh Parsley Sprigs 2 x 70g Filleted Seabass 2 x 70g Filleted Tuna 2 Giant Prawns 2 Calamari, cut lengthwise in half

METHOD: Preheat oven to 190˚C. Brush 2 large roasting pans with one tablespoon olive oil each. Arrange calamari cut sideup, in a roasting pan; brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the oven. Meanwhile, place prawn, tuna and seabass in 2 tablespoons olive oil and pan-fry both sides in a nonstick pan. Continue in the oven for another 5 minutes. In a plate layer your grilled fish. Then drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.

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June 2021

CULINARY MALTA

Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection

CLAYTON BARTOLO

ithin the overall tourist experience, restaurants today are not merely places where the visitor obtains

sustenance. Over and above this important biological consideration, restaurants are today recognised as contributing to the overall visitor experience in a variety of ways.

that they allow patrons to socialise. The wide variety of culinary experiences, especially those which feature regional specialities not commonly found elsewhere enhances the element of discovery. Finally, in an age when health consciousness and wellness play an increasingly important role in modern-day lifestyles, customers increasingly seek culinary experiences which provide healthy food.

For contemporary visitors and local clients alike, the notion of eating out is increasingly linked with indulgence, which can be described as the motivation associated with fine dining. Restaurants also provide patrons with relaxation and comfort brought about by having food served without the need for clients of having to cook it themselves.

The Maltese islands have a huge number of catering establishments. These establishments serve the dual purpose of catering for the local market as well as that of our visitors, and are dependent on the custom of both if they are to thrive. In fact, our catering establishments are not only concentrated in the traditional tourist areas but are also present in varying quantities in all our towns and villages as well as in countryside settings.

A further important attribute is that restaurants provide an important part of the visitor experience apart from the fact

In the first few decades of our tourism industry, the Maltese catering experience was heavily influenced by two major

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factors. The first was the traditionally heavy reliance on the British market and the second was the fact that most of our early restaurants were run by people who received their culinary training by working as caterers in the British forces. This led to the belief that the food sought by our visitors had to be similar to that served aboard the naval vessels on which our caterers learned their trade, thus leading to the clich that food in Malta featured the inevitable “chips with everything”. Since then, our catering sector has made huge leaps in quality. From its humbler origins at the birth of our tourism industry to the varied and sophisticated offer we feature today, we have come a long way. Our catering scene today is far from homogenous in nature. Contrary to the situation prevailing in a number of tourist receiving areas overseas, our catering experience today is very varied and features a mix of culinary experiences that one expects to find in much larger cities. This makes dining in Malta a truly cosmopolitan experience given the variety of cuisines which one can experience on our Islands. People dining out today are faced with a wide variety of culinary experiences featuring a healthy and versatile mix of international cuisines. Besides the ever popular Italian, Chinese and Indian cuisines, the Maltese islands today also feature restaurants which offer up to fifteen other national cuisines ranging from Asian ones such as Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese to Eastern European, Mediterranean and fusion specialities. Typical Maltese cuisine remains a bit elusive. Traditionally frowned upon as a basic and unsophisticated cuisine which was not considered fit to be presented to foreigners, the demand for our cuisine is now much higher given that visitors increasingly seek experiences based on diversity and uniqueness when travelling. Such experiences range from visitor attractions to music and other cultural manifestations, but possibly culminate with the culinary experience which impacts the visitor on a daily basis during his or her sojourn to our shores. Expansion into the area of Maltese cuisine does not necessarily imply developing new restaurants, but could also involve an increased number of our existing restaurants taking up the challenge of evolving into establishments specialising in local food and ingredients. Steps such as this are also intrinsically linked to the protection and development of our local produce to the benefit of our agricultural sector and the traditions that we seek to preserve in an economically viable manner.

As our tourist inflows feature increased quantities of different nationalities and age-groups spread more evenly throughout the year, we are witnessing some very interesting dynamics which imply good news for our catering sector. As a result of our diversification of nationalities and tourist types we have been witnessing some very strong changes in the eating patterns of tourists. Today lower quantities of tourists are opting for full and half board arrangements in the accommodation establishments that they stay in and are venturing out to the catering establishments spread throughout the destination. Dining out for today’s tourists is not merely done for reasons of sustenance. In fact, a survey commissioned by the Malta Tourism Authority indicates that around two out of every three tourists visiting Malta choose to entertain themselves by dining out. Tourist feedback indicates that in 2019 around 49% of their discretionary expenditure in the destination while here was spent on food and drink amounting to around €167 per person per trip. As with all other aspects of our tourism offer, our restaurant offer also needs to embark upon and sustain a continuous process of improvement. It needs to recognise changing trends and the different needs of what is becoming a highly segmented clientele. As is the case with the provision of most other goods and services vying for customers worldwide, the concept of one size fits all is not applicable anymore. Successful businesses need to understand their different clients’ needs and address them if they are to be successful.

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Add: Triq l-Imœar Qawra, San Pawl il-Baœar - Call us: +356 2798 8989, 9927 7713, 7718 8989

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June 2021

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