L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2015 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 3 influenced his taste and personal cooking style, occurred during his first years of work in France in the early 1970s. He learned and brought back to Italy the innovative and creative inspira- tions of Nouvelle Cuisine, intro- ducing them first in the family restaurant and then in his own Bonvesin de la Riva, started in 1977. Ten years later, it was the first Italian restaurant ever to be awarded three stars by the famed M ichelin G uide. D es pite the great honor, in the end Marchesi "returned" the stars, as a sign of protest against the subservience of many talented Italian chefs to the French critics. "The Italian modern cuisine has made huge progress, but we still put our success in the hands of a French guide that rew ards F rench restaurants. Young chefs need to understand that their passion for cooking can't be measured in terms of stars," he said. As a res ult, any comment on the Bonvesin de la Riva disappeared from the M ich elin G uide in 2009. For a few years, Gualtiero Marchesi also owned a hotel and restaurant in the Franciacorta country, an area of Lombardy region well known for the pro- duction of sparkling wine. Some of his original masterpieces – they actually look like paintings – that made history include the Milanese risotto with a golden leaf, and a combination of cala- mari, clams, and squid ink. His interest in art, of which cuisine is certainly an expres- s ion, w as fos tered by his encounter with painter and poet Aldo Calvi and, most of all, by his wife Antonietta, a pianist who taught him to play. Yet he w ouldn't purs ue a career in music, as he needed to concen- trate his efforts on "Creating a Have you peaked at our newly redesigned website lately? W e ' r e e x c i t e d a b o u t i t ! L'Italo-Americano continues to evolve every day…Its website (www.italoamericano.org) now features in-depth and comprehen- sive coverage of contemporary Italian culture and lifestyles -- arts, travel and culinary trends -- enriching our West Coast com- m u n i t i e s w i t h r e l e v a n t a n d d y n a m i c c o n t e n t – u n i q u e i m a g e s , e n g a g i n g v i d e o s a n d news stories. In the upper right corner of the homepage, you'll see a link to e a s i l y d o w n l o a d o u r l a t e s t d i g i t a l e d i t i o n t o y o u r smartphone, iPad or other mobile device. The future is here. With its active Facebook and Twitter pages, L'Italo-Americano has become a part of your daily life in real time. It has changed and evolved in order to grow with you. It boasts a news archive with thousands of news articles and resources about Italy -- rich images, our history and cultural her- itage. They are also your stories, your memories, your heritage, and your vision for the future. Italoamericano.org is constantly being updated, giving readers a destination for stories including a wide range of subjects in both English and Italian. Yet sometimes even the richest images and the most engaging videos don't tell the whole story. In its 108 year history, L'Italo- Americano has gone through many ups and downs, yet never missed an issue. It has faithfully served its communities, week in week out, driven by its core mission: "… To inform truthfully, educate rightly, unite firmly and guide intelligently the Italian community" around the world. This is who we are and what we do. And we are committed to doing so in the future. We have changed to offer you, our readers, a better and more efficient service. But we need your help to make this possible. In navigating our home page, you'll see a big, red button: 'DONATE'…It offers our loyal readers and subscribers an oppor- tunity to help support our mission. All donations will contribute directly to preserving L'Italo-Americano and its future operation. When you click on that "DONATE" button, a user-friendly and secure donation page allows you to select any gift amounts and frequency. As a token of our appreciation, you'll receive valuable benefits as well. As always, we also invite you to submit your stories, pictures and videos for future content. We're grateful for your generosity and important contributions to our cultural heritage. Please visit us at www.italoamericano.org today. L'Italo-Amer icano Needs Your Help new cuisine by revolutionizing the dishes, the presentation, and the wine list." On the occasion of his 80th birthday, in 2010, the chef established the Gualtiero Marchesi Foundation, commit- ted to promoting all forms of art, from mus ic to painting and cooking itself. He also founded the Italian Culinary Academy in New York City in 2006, and now chairs the International S chool of Italian Cuis ine (A LM A ) in Colorno, in the province of Parma. His remarkable accomplish- ments were acknowledged by the P res ident of the Italian Republic in 1991, who presented him the O rder of M erit as Commendatore for his contribu- tion to the Italian culinary tradi- tion and culture, and by the City of Milan with an exhibition in his honor at the Sforzesco Castle in 2010. Through a constant research, experimenting with flavors and genuine ingredients, in accor- dance with the values of the Italian cuis ine, G ualtiero Marchesi has radically reinvent- ed it with his refined and artistic touch. Gualtiero Marchesi remarkable accomplishments were acknowledged by the President of the Italian Republic in 1991, who presented him the Order of Merit as Commendatore for his contribution to the Italian culinary tradition and culture From the director Continued from page 1 Marchesi chairs the International School of Italian Cuisine in Colorno (Parma)

• Cover