19 Jan An interview with Chef Mauri

Our Chefs are much more than mere “executors”. They are artists, guides; they are the souls of our restaurants. Today, we’ll get to know Luca Mauri closer. He is Chef Executive at Tartufi & Friends in Milan. We’ve asked him some questions.

What do you like best about your job?

What excites me most is actually being in the kitchen, especially when I’m alone, as it gives me the chance to create. I find it very relaxing.

When did you first realise you wanted to be a chef? 

When I was a child. I used to spend a lot of time staring, fascinated, at my mother and grandmother from Caserta busy preparing and rolling out home-made pasta on our big wooden table, according to the ancient wisdom and instinctive knowledge belonging to our grandmothers only. Everything started from there: I decided to study and follow my strong passion.

– Which dish of T&F menu are you most proud of and why?

I’m proud of the whole menu. I like it all and it definitively reflects my idea of cuisine for this restaurant, but I’m particularly happy with the grissino, my own product which represents my visiting card.

– Which dish of the menu is most required? – And why?

Our customers ask for our tagliolino al tartufo mostly, a simple as well as delicate and tasty dish. It combines the taste of our home-made pasta with excellent truffles and with butter cream complementing the dish. It’s poetry, especially for pasta lovers.

– Creativity: How much is there in your work at T&F?

On a 1 to 10 scale, I’d say 8. It’ s fundamental in the presentation of the dish to entice the customer, to convey the flavours, the smell and the taste coming from the mix of ingredients composing the dish.

– Which differences in taste have you noticed between Italian and foreign customers?

This year, I have noticed that European customers are willing to experiment, and open-minded towards unusual matches and new dishes. The Italians, most of all, want to taste new dishes, different from traditional ones. I didn’t expect it.

– Which is your life recipe?

It’s yet to come… 😉