Fine Italian cuisine in Lake Como, Italy
The godfather of Italian cuisine, master chef Gualtiero Marchesi, has brought his unique style to the century-old Grand Hotel Tremezzo, a Lake Como landmark, and is also heavily influencing its sister hotel.
What do you do when you win a coveted three Michelin stars, becoming the first Italian chef to gain the rare triple accolade? Give them all back, of course. At least that’s what you do if you are Gualtiero Marchesi, the veteran maestro regarded as the father of modern Italian cuisine. Gaining two Michelin stars by 1978 after having opened his first restaurant in his native Milan in 1977, Marchesi won a third one seven years later – before denouncing Michelin’s scoring system as unfair in 2008 and returning the stars, saying that he did it to help aspiring young chefs understand that “the passion for cooking cannot be subject to a vote”. Since 2011, the old master has been sprinkling his stardust as consultant at one of northern Italy’s grandest hotels, the stately, art nouveau Grand Hotel Tremezzo on the shores of Lake Como. At 84, Marchesi is just 20 years younger than the historic palace hotel, yet oversees all aspects of its cuisine and wines while mentoring its executive chef of 22 years, Osvaldo Presazzi. Presazzi has enjoyed spells at the master’s legendary restaurants in Franciacorta and Milan – Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi in Erbusco and Ristorante Teatro Alla Scala Il Marchesino – as well as at other top European hotels.
LA TERRAZA. Marchesi’s main focus at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo is at its gloriously situated La Terraza fine dining restaurant, with its open-air terrace enjoying what is claimed to be the finest vistas of Lake Como. As I took my place at a table close to the lake and gazed past the wrought iron railings to the shimmering lights of Bellagio across the water, I wholeheartedly agreed. Marchesi’s “Total Cuisine” style is based around simplicity, taste and beauty, using good quality local ingredients and not overpowering them with sauces. Another mantra is that haute cuisine cannot disregard the grand hotels that produced it. With those in mind, I was eager to try his degustation menu, featuring his signature riso, oro e zafferano dish – saffron risotto with gold leaf. The meal comprised four courses plus dessert, paired with five glasses of wine, each beautifully presented. First up was a delicately flavoured lobster with sweet pepper cream, together with a glass of crisp, sparkling Cuvée Prestige Ca’ del Bosco from Franciacorta. I love lobster, and this was one of the best I have had. Next was the saffron risotto, along with another glass of the Ca’del Bosco. The black plate contrasted perfectly with the peach-coloured risotto and the square of gold leaf in the centre. Risotto is another favourite of mine and the saffron added piquancy, while the gold simply melted in the mouth with no discernable flavour. Fish followed, the herb-crusted red mullet fillets served with crunchy vegetables, a tangy throwback to the nouvelle cuisine dishes of the 1970s and early 1980s, washed down by a light 2011 Moscato Giallo Turmhof Tiefenbrunner. Then came the main course, fillet of veal with foie gras and black truffle, Gualteiro Marchesi style, with spinach, pine nuts and raisins. The rich flavours combined superbly and were well complemented by a fruity Franciacorta red, a 2011 Pomaro Castello di Gussago.
THREE FLAVOURS. The final dish was tre gusti per un dolce – three flavours for a dessert – combining Bavarian cream coffee, crème brûlée and chocolate mousse on a biscuit base, rounded off with a sweet Lugana Passito Zenato dessert wine. At 120 euros for the four courses plus dessert and 45 euros for the five glasses of wine, it sounds like a king’s ransom but considering you are dining on exquisite creations by the king of Italian cuisine in a glorious setting, it represents excellent value. The main menu changes with the seasons and offers a variety of dishes, without confusing by offering too much choice. I fell into bed sated, but not feeling as though I had overeaten. And next morning, for breakfast back at La Terazza there was really only one choice – Florentine eggs with English muffin, spinach and Hollandaise sauce. Owned and run by the De Santis family, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo’s other dining options include L’Escale, the first fondue and wine bar on Lake Como, TPizza, specialising in Italy’s iconic food and set in the hotel’s lush gardens, and TBeach, which offers fish, meat, vegetable and cheese grills by the hotel’s floating swimming pool moored on the lake. I had another date, however, at sister property the Grand Hotel di Como, just down the lake in Cernobbio. A modern hotel, it still embodies the same passion for cuisine and attention to detail and service as its venerable sibling. I was due to have a South American barbecue in the outdoor Kincho churrascheria, set in the hotel’s flower-filled park with its own lovely wooden gazebo by the pool, where the steaks – notably the Picanha di Valcir – are said to be out of this world. However, violent thunderstorms and torrential rain had forced it to close that night, so instead I dined in the adjacent Kitchen restaurant. The Marchesi connection is very strong here, too. Early 2014 saw the arrival of chef Paolo Lopriore, a disciple of the Italian legend and acclaimed as his favourite pupil, to head up Kitchen as well as supervise Kincho. Blending local traditions with creativity and innovation, he uses local ingredients while focusing on simplicity to bring out their flavours.
WORKS OF ART. As at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, the food was presented like works of art, each dish a treat to savour. They included cavedano, midollo, fave fresche e frutta secca (boned chub with fresh fava beans and dried fruits), ravioli alla cipolla, crema di caprino fresco (ravioli with onion and cream of fresh goat’s cheese) and semifreddo allo zucchero affumicato, semi di finocchio e liquirizia (parfait with smoked sugar, fennel seeds and liquorice), accompanied by a sweet 2011 Zibibbo, Donnafugata Passito di Pantelleria Ben Rye, and a semi-sweet 2009 Muscat Petit Grain, Les Cretes Moscato Passito Les Abeilles. Once again, it was an epicurean adventure of intense flavours. Sadly, a Friday flight home meant that I missed the Sunday brunch that Kitchen is particularly noted for.As I went through security at Milan’s Malpensa Airport, I wondered momentarily whether the gold leaf from master chef Marchesi’s wonderful saffron risotto might set off the scanner alarm. It didn’t, but good job I didn’t overindulge.
