With Love from Turin

Coming from a region where people enjoy the good things in life,he says food in Italy is given a high degree of prominence. “Italians enjoy healthy food,and wine being an integral part of the Italian cuisine,it is had with all meals. Bread too is very popular. Salty food is accompanied with dry wine and sweet food is relished with sweet wine. Drinking is in our culture” he says.

When asked what Italian cuisine is all about,the answer comes quick,“Typical and fresh ingredients with a simple cooking system. Finding the right ingredients is very important. The right ingredients with a good kitchen results in a good dish!” He explains that the base of Italian food is extra virgin olive oil and,similar to Indian food,spices like black/white pepper,chilli,cinnamon,cloves and nutmeg are also used. When questioned whether he’s had any Indian food,he perked up saying,“Tandoori Chicken and flat Indian bread.”

Chef Ugo hails from Turin in north-western Italy. He mentions that special products in Turin are based on chocolate. Gianduitto is one such dish which is a special cake made with a paste of nuts,chocolate paste and milk. Chocolate is an influence in this region due to it’s proximity to Switzerland. “The entire region from the north to the south of Italy has varied styles of food. There are about twenty regions and just as many styles of preparation. This is because with each region there is difference in topography,climate and soil conditions,which makes ingredients exclusive to certain regions” explains Chef Ugo.

Unexpectedly he announces that Italian ingredients are both “nice and awful”. “Nice because there is difference and variety in the ingredients. Awful because one has to study lots about them to know them well.” Speaking of influences in Italian cuisine,he says that ideas have been borrowed from Arabic,French and Spanish cooking styles.

Chef Ugo has his own restaurant in Turin called Giorgio e Ugo and he has been associated with ICIF,The Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners,for the past 10 years.

This is his second visit to India,the first one being a trip to Mumbai three years ago,and he is appreciative of the Indian palate and food culture. “People here are open to trying new things,” he says approvingly. While he finds visiting India quite rewarding,he hopes that he gets more opportunities in future to come back here and share and learn.