Fabio Picchi is one of the most famous Italian chef and gourmet. From Florence, owner of Cibrèo restaurant one of the most well-known in the city.
We had an interesting talk with him thanks to our Italian Food Ambassador Francine Segan and during this interview he will tell us how his strong passion and love for Italian food begins.
1) Nine words to introduce you.
I’m great eater, I’m great eater, I’m great eater, I eat food with joy and respect for life.
2) What are the three essential Made in Italy products for your kitchen?
Extra virgin olive oil absolutely, garlic absolutely, bread! Good bread made with ancient grains.
3) What were you doing in Italy and why did you decide to leave?
Because Italy is a country full of “crazy people” that produce little extraordinary food harmonies. You can find a “crazy” who make oil, a “crazy” who make sausages, a “crazy” who make cheese, a “crazy” who make little salads, a “crazy” who farm potatoes or peppers, but they are passionate about that and that is awesome.
4) Three words to describe the Italian food abroad.
Three words to describe the Italian food abroad? This food can you get excited as a sunset or as a blooming almond tree or as a great love… You know? When one fall in love for the first time in your life? The same! Italian food does that, when is real.
5) Why the importance of Italian food Made in Italy?
Italian food is important, let me repeat, because make people fall in love, it gives empathy, You feel while you eating a parmigiana di melanzane that you are in the harmony of the universe, that’s great!
6) What is the episode that started your food passion?
Because I born in Italy, in Tuscany, more specifically in Florence, if I born on Himalaya I would have the passion for food from Himalaya. But I have a big passion for food. God or someone else wanted me to be born in Florence, in Tuscany from a family where a father spent all his money for food and with a mother that cook very well. They imagined me a doctor as all the families during 50’, actually, without realizing they made sure he became a chef.
7) What is the Italian recipe that most represents you?
The Parmigiana of Melanzane, it’s not a dish from Tuscany. But is the dish that represent the movement of ideas and goods. The Parmigiana of Melanzane, where do eggplants come from? Probably from the East, come from Beijing to Baghdad, from Baghdad to Istanbul, from Istanbul to Constantinople and then from Constantinople they arrive in Palermo and in Naples they became Parmigiana di Melanzane. Who knows, maybe in Ferrara it become the Ferrarese Lasagna. The ideas, the humans and the raw materials are universal, so they belong to all. The Parmigiana di melanzane in my opinion represents the alchemy of simple foods: fried eggplant, fior di latte mozzarella, tomatoes and a leaf of good basil… I’m giving a recipe, you are welcome!
8) Which one in your opinion is the biggest stereotype foreigners have about the Italian cuisine or Italian food?
Fortunately it’s Spaghetti al pomodoro! Because is true that is very good! Not always the platitudes are wrong. Sometimes they are right.
9) Speaking about the “Italian Sounding” phenomenon, what do you think are the solutions to oppose it?
Be aware of what are you eating. If you are in front of a true sunset or a true blooming of an almond tree, your soul really trembles. If you are in front of a something false, at most you say: “it’s ok” there aren’t emotions. Look for emotions in the food because anyway it will be an original experience.
Thanks to our Italian Food Ambassador Francine Segan for this amazing interview.