EXTRAORDINARY ITALIAN BY ALFREDO RUSSO
“Passion, talent and professionalism, this is what stefano Baiocco represents for me, gifts which will make him known in Italy and the world” Pierre Gagnaire
was certainly not the easiest. There was never a “bonjour”, a “ça va”, a smile. Only eyes fixed on the ground and hands working swiftly. The afternoon break was never more generous than an hour and the whole brigade greedily consumed their siesta inside a small bar just outside the restaurant so as not to waste precious minutes. A system of work made up of strict organization and almost military discipline to make sure that everything which orbited around the Ducasse name worked impeccably and at full pace. That was the “A.D. formula”. The work was hectic and stressful. In a year, more than 300 commis threw in the towel and packed their bags. That means that on an average, almost one cook a day gave up working I the restaurant run by the world’s most famous chef. Ducasse is a man who always walks faster than his own shadow, a train moving at an impressive pace and speed. If you want to work with him, either you leap onto the train or you stay outside. This is why you need a strong character to work with Alain Ducasse. The great difference I found working in Paris was that in France, the chef has great responsibilities, a history to defend, and is much more aware of the great weight on his shoulders. A chef of a certain level is a public personality. Or rather, he is a personality in every sense of the world, a figure which represents the pride and greatness of France. For me, Alain Ducasse was not just a great school of cookery, but above all, a way of life. EX.IT April 2018 -
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