Sapori Ticino returns with their 14th edition!

After the closure of last spring, the new edition of S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino recommences we spoke to Dany Stauffacher to hear all about tis years schedule

Hi Dany what is proposed for this years Sapori Ticino?

‘In a year where all major events have been cancelled or postponed and with thanks to the important network of relationships we have built over the years, we have managed to create a new program with the aim of supporting the world of catering and tourism, especially looking into the future. We start a new journey through the tastes of some of the most important Swiss chefs to underline the excellence of Swiss and Ticino gastronomy along with the importance of food in our lives. In recent months we have all found ourselves changing our habits. An event that has such a profound impact on social and economic life could not fail to affect our relationship with food, which has taken on a consoling function. Now, with due attention, the time has come to give food the right role of convivial pleasure’.

The headline of the 15 evenings will be ‘Switzerland at the table’, with the formula now consolidated by 14 evenings: the chefs of the hotels and restaurants across Ticino that host internationally renowned stars.

‘By now we know the chefs of our house well, and also for this edition they will put their usual heart into hosting their Swiss colleagues, all young rising stars and already holding Michelin stars who have responded enthusiastically to our invitations, we are certain that we they will always find a welcoming land able to appreciate their creations. Therefore we must believe more in our territory and in our food and wine culture, aware that quality tourism is what ultimately really gives added value to the hotel and restaurant sector’.

The events will commence in Ticino tomorrow, but you have already held an evening in Vevey with Ticino chefs. How was that?

‘The first appointment was at the Grand Hotel du Lac in Vevey, a member of Swiss Deluxe Hotels, where some promising young chefs of Ticino cuisine, accompanied by a master like Bernard Fournier, represented the gourmet soul of Ticino. Alessandro Boleso, Federico Palladino and Andrea Pedrina enthusiastically brought our cuisine, the most sunny and Mediterranean in the whole nation. In the evenings beyond the Gotthard we have always wanted to present the beauty and goodness of our territory precisely to encourage guests to come and visit us. A meeting that this year has taken on even greater significance precisely after many Confederates, including those from France, have come to spend their holidays with us’.

How are you dealing with safety measures?

‘It is clear that we must continue in our lives, returning to go to restaurants and public places, but we must still avoid health risks. We all need some recreation after this particular period and strive to ensure that this happens by continuing to implement all the provisions envisaged. Our guests are sacred and have every right to enjoy, without too many thoughts, a wonderful evening, leaving the problems of everyday life at home for a few hours. This is why I would like to express solidarity with the chefs and dining room staff and thank them for all they have done to date and for what they will do. We miss seeing their smile covered by the mask, but with their eyes and with the dishes they give us they still manage to talk to us and transmit their enthusiasm’.

This summer, despite everything tourism in Ticino has held up. How do you see the future?

It is certainly a success not to be wasted. The Swiss have rewarded us and this means that Ticino is very attractive. The goal is to continue to be as such even after the summer season. In a complicated moment like the one we have lived and are still living, it is essential to row in the same direction. There is no lack of uncertainties, but we understand that the revival of tourism will increasingly pass through a quality offer. Initiatives to support food and wine are good for the whole world of food and the agri-food chain. The spirit of conviviality persists and fortunately the restaurants have been working well in recent months, but in the future they could be in difficulty. And a restaurant means jobs, industries and gastronomic tourism. Food is a value to hold on to but it is not enough, we need to think about the future of catering. There is an irrepressible desire to be together at the table, because there is only one thing better than a good meal: a good meal with friends. Because cooking is tradition, it is taste, it is pleasure, but above all it is sharing’.

The curtain rises at the Hotel Splendide Royal

Tomorrow the curtain will rise on the 14th edition of S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino, dedicated to Swiss gastronomic culture. As usual, the opening night will be hosted by the Hotel Splendide Royal in Lugano. Domenico Ruberto, resident chef, will do the honors by hosting two talented chefs from the Swiss Deluxe Hotels for an evening of haute cuisine in the name of excellence.

Together with Christian Bertogna of the Lausanne Palace & SPA and Marco Campanella, starred chef of Eden Roc in Ascona, Ruberto will offer all guests an interesting culinary experience. A meeting between professionals, but above all between friends who have shared a cultural and human background that allows you to find the right mix of ingredients for an unforgettable evening: high quality products for classic dishes with local and Mediterranean flavors. A six-handed dinner with different cultural influences, from Ruberto’s Calabrian origins to the Ormalingen piglet. The fil rouge of excellent gastronomy remains the seal of the Swiss Deluxe Hotels, the group of 40 of the best 5-star hotels in Switzerland, of which all the leading chefs are part.

How about catering for the younger crowd?

An event dedicated to the younger crowd will be held on on the evening of Monday 21 at the Blu Restaurant & Lounge in Locarno, a refined location for a unique experience to enjoy an elegant and contemporary evening with a relaxed spirit. Chef Davide Asietti will host Silvio Germann, chef of Igniv by Andreas Caminada, 2 Michelin stars and 17 Gault & Millau points. Among the most avant-garde personalities of Swiss gastronomy, Germann has made his winning traits of radiance and professionalism: creative and attentive to details, he has a strong personality and a kind soul that can be found in each of his dishes. His cuisine is attentive to contemporary tastes and playfully creative, to be enjoyed strictly in company.

At just 28 years old, the likeable from Lucerne has already achieved considerable success. Every day he works on the flavour of his dishes with an equally young, close-knit and coordinated brigade. His idea of ​​sharing dishes with all the diners was a great success among Swiss gourmets. Also this year he will share his art with the guests of S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino. The basis of his cooking is simple. It is a food sharing experience during which the diners each receive an empty plate and then, in the middle of the table, different dishes are served, in a succession of seasonal flavors and where possible local. The concept is centered on comfort and desired sharing.

Instead of a classic menu with individual starters, main courses and desserts, create several courses to share. The moment of dinner becomes a convivial parenthesis in which all guests become protagonists and the atmosphere more relaxed. A relaxed and fun experience, but always maintaining a high level of service. A conviviality that will certainly please you at this particular moment.

This is just the beginning of the new edition of S. Pellegrino Sapori Ticino. In the coming weeks we will discover the new leaders of Swiss gastronomy 2020.