Charcuterie products, for Simone, are inspiring raw elements and a flavour reminder of his childhood. He has great respect for those who produce them, so much that he only uses them ‘in purity’ when he decides to include them in his preparations, to avoid distorting their flavor and consistency.
Well, somehow I link my choice to my family. For them eating was just a way to survive, a need. I wanted it to be much more than that.
The primary purpose is to be fed, of course, but I cannot avoid to think about the pleasure of the taste. Since I was 8 or 10 years, I realized that the food could have given much more than be just a nutrition need.
For your job your travelled a lot, visiting worldwide cuisine’s kitchens, how are the big chef using charcuterie products on their recipes?
When I was with Alain Ducasse, there was mainly pancetta (bacon). For Pascal Barbot the great classic was the croque-monsieur which was prepared for the staff’s meal.
We were use to prepare it with cooked ham, which was provided from a friend of the chef. Even if he was not willing to put it on the Micheline star restaurant menu, apart from serving it to the staff, he was used to reserved it for some friends that were visiting the restaurant. I just remember that it was delicious!
For me the cold cuts were the must of a Saturday lunch, because it was the day my mum was used to go to the butcher.
It was the day we used to eat altogether, I don’t know why it wasn’t happen on Sundays. And, in any case case, the prince of the cold cuts was always Parma’s cured ham, as it was my dad’s favourite.
How do you use the cold cuts in your cooking?
I have a special respect for cold cuts, and I think they should be used without alterate their natural flavour, expecially when they are fine produced products.In my kitchen, the process is finding highly selected providers, and then use my creativity!
Which are your favourites?
I love the culatello. The ‘nduja also because it tastes very similar to sopressata. And that one reminds me when I was in Paris, for we were using a chorizo garnish. So it takes me there every time I have it!
