Chef patron of celebrated La Rosetta in Rome, Massimo Riccioli is opening his eponymous London restaurant at the Corinthia Hotel today. I was amongst the lucky ones invited to a soft opening last week in the stunning dining room designed by David Collins Studio. The food was absolutely fantastic but more importantly it reminded me of what Italian cuisine should be about: fresh ingredients, simple flavours, extra virgin olive oil and lots of fresh herbs. Massimo's ability to combine all of these elements in layers and textures makes him a true architect of taste. Although he once told me that his cuisine is not "Italian" but rather Sicilian (that's where he is originally from) with Mediterranean influences!
I met Massimo in early 2010 and worked together for a short time to promote his pop up restaurant inside the building site of the hotel. His culinary philosophy was very clear from the start and has now only taken "grandeur": not only he creates classic dishes from the very highest quality fish but also does he innovate by using every edible part of the fish to offer delicacies such as Tuna black pudding with fish skin crisps, Baked cod liver in balsamoka with sautéed spring onions and Porcini cookies or Monkfish tripe, in fresh tomato sauce, mint and Pecorino cheese. However I would also suggest going to Massimo's every time one fancied a great fish pasta accompanied by a glass of white wine; the "Spaghetti croccanti with red prawns" and "Maccheroncini alle sarde" Oscar and I shared were to die for.
Massimo’s obsession with fish started as a child when his father, a former photo reporter with a natural passion for cooking, took over La Rosetta restaurant in 1965 and created the first restaurant in Rome to serve fish daily. Massimo would accompany his father to nearby fishing villages and choose the highlights from the catch of the day.
The 150-cover restaurant will incorporate an oyster and crustacean bar, and an intimate private dining with its own dedicated kitchen, just like the pop up but in greater style.
With this I take the opportunity of welcoming the Corinthia Hotel in London, headed by the most charming of hoteliers, General Manager Matthew Dixon.
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