From tomorrow until Jan 14, the Mandarin Grill at Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur is hosting one-Michelin-star chef Mario Cittadini of Il Postale, Italy for an exclusive series of gourmet meals. A Tuscan chef with over 16 years of extensive experience, Cittadini has cultivated an intense passion for food, wine, and travel. As a native Italian, he is devoted to carrying forward Italian traditions and flavours however, by constantly keeping up with the latest culinary trends. He adopts modern cooking styles which give the same ingredients a completely new twist.
Live It! spoke to the Italian culinary star ahead of his stint at the Mandarin Grill for a sneak peek at what drives his cooking style, his approach to food and what inspires him most about Tuscan cooking.
What are your favourite ingredients to work with and why?
I honestly don’t have any favourite ingredient or some ingredient that I like to use more than others.
What are the dishes that immediately spell ‘home’ to you?
Extra virgin olive oil.
Tell us a little about growing up in Tuscany and its food culture.
Tuscany is a region where within 100km distance you may have mountain and seaside. My neighbours were fisherman, game hunters as well as mushroom and truffle hunters and I grew up watching them during weekends coming back home with wild boars, deer, trout and carp, depending on the season. I saw them guttering, preparing and cooking those catches and of course enjoyed those delicacies.
Tuscan cuisine is very different from the others in Italy. It didn’t have, over the century, much influence, like the northern had with French and southern with Spanish. It’s a raw cuisine purely based on ingredients.
If we were to visit Tuscany, what would be on your list of food and restaurant recommendations?
I would recommend Florence for street food, tripe stew in bread bun, and Enoteca Pinchiorri, a three Michelin star restaurant; the Chianti area and Siena for all the trattoria restaurants. Cold cuts, cheeses and the famous Chianina roasted T-bone are a must.
Tuscany is a great wine region. But what are your ultimate Tuscan food and wine pairings?
I don’t believe in food and wine pairing. I eat what I like and drink what I like and so I suggest to my clients.
What are the key tools every chef needs to own?
Sensitivity.
A chef’s life is always busy but what do you indulge in once the kitchen is closed? What’s your off-duty comfort food?
Gelato!
Which destinations have proven the most inspiring to you and why?
Japan, for the respect they give to ingredients.
What are your favourite foreign dishes and why?
I recently eat chicken rice every day. With mainly two ingredients you can get a beautiful dish, if well executed.
Why do you think it’s important for chefs to travel and taste new cuisines?
Because the more knowledge of flavours you have, the more tools you have to play with. It is also extremely important to know what different clients like, what they want from your food and what they see on your food.
Are there any chefs you look up to in particular? If yes, why?
Enrico Crippa. Sublime technique and imagination on his creations.
What has been your most memorable moment as a chef and why?
Not one in particular but every time I see one of my guys understanding the reason of the flavour combination behind a dish and mastering the technique.
And, lastly, what advice would you give to young people who want to succeed in the culinary world?
Build your knowledge — work in different establishments from hotels to Michelin-star awarded restaurants. Spend at least one year in each establishment, by doing so you will see all seasons and all the business activities. Also, work very hard — listen to your chef when you are a junior and to the guests when you are senior.
Diners will be able to enjoy three-, four- and five-course lunches and five- and seven-course dinners. Prices are from RM148++ to RM188++ for lunch and RM288++ to RM488++ for dinner. A la carte dishes will also be available. The Mandarin Grill accepts reservations at (03) 2179 8960 or [email protected].