For three days at the beginning of November, the three-Michelin-starred Cerea brothers came to the UK to cook for the British public at L’anima, an Italian restaurant in the heart of London. It was the first time brothers Enrico and Roberto had cooked for the British public, and I wanted to get to know how they and Antonio Favuzzi, the head chef at L’anima, source ingredients when they’re cooking Italian food abroad.
The Cerea brothers are culinary legends in Italy. They’re two of five siblings who run Da Vittorio in Bergamo, a haven for seafood lovers with three Michelin stars. ‘We like to touch on traditional food using new and modern techniques,’ explains Roberto. ‘The very best fresh produce is the foundation for every one of our dishes. We’re based in northern Italy, but use products which come from all over the country. For example, in this menu we’re using Fregula (a pasta similar to couscous) which comes from Sardinia and red prawns from the south.
‘My father opened Da Vittorio in 1966 in Bergamo – 300km from the coast in every direction, right in the centre of Italy,’ he continues. ‘Everyone there would cook meat or local vegetables, but he brought the seaside and seafood to the area, which no one else dared to do. Northern Italy is quite cold, so pork, veal, beef and game-based stews were the norm. Every single restaurant in Bergamo used to serve bollito misto, a selection of meats served with mustard and salsa verde. At the same time my father opened Da Vittorio, a fishmonger from Sicily opened a shop in the city. They both started at the same time, and now they are seen as the best fish restaurant and fishmongers in the region.’
