In Conversation with Ivan Fargnoli

With over 20 years of culinary experience including posts in Dubai, Milan Italy and most recently China, Ivan Fargnoli has recently joined Hilton Molino Stucky Venice from his position as Executive Chef at Grand Hyatt Shenyaang China. Bringing a wealth of international influences and impeccable standard to his role, Ivan oversees a brigade of 32 and is responsible for the development and execution of the hotel’s menus for its restaurants, Bacaromi, Rialto and Aromi, events held at the hotel, as well as managing the kitchen on a day-to-day basis.

Chef Ivan Fargnoli has joined in an exciting phase for the hotel’s gastronomic journey as he initiates new developments in the hotel’s restaurants. Having spent 17 years in China, his menus see much loved Mediterranean flavours and ingredients re-imagined with an oriental influence. Dishes also champion seasonality and fresh local produce, all served alongside a carefully curated selection of finest wines.

The elegant atmosphere of the lagoon-side Aromi Restaurant and its spectacular terrace overlooking Venice is popular with guests. His new menu features exquisitely prepared signature dishes including: double boil Asian spiced duck consommé with duck floss; and roasted cod fish fillet glacier 51 paired with fennel, pea and reduction of lobster sauce. Hailing from Italian and Swiss heritage, Ivan’s passion for cooking started at just 12 years old when helping his father and aunt in the family kitchen. Inspired and eager to learn, Ivan was taught the importance of food provenance and using high-quality ingredients from a young age.

 Do you have a favourite time of the year or set of ingredients that you look forward to working with?

It would surely be springtime and the reawakening of nature, the arrival of new ingredients, fresh vegetables and fruits, new flavours and textures to experiment with.

What would you do if you weren’t a chef?

I would be a truck driver – since I was a child I’ve been intrigued by trucks.

Do your personal preferences influence the menu at all?

Certainly, for example the Aromi menu is highly influenced not only by my previous experience in Asia but also my childhood as well as my character – some of my favourite flavours and creative combinations can be found in Aromi’s signature dishes. I like to play with classic Italian products and flavours, respecting them but adding ingredients and products from Asia, the Middle East and India. Especially with regard to Aromi there is a great deal of research and trial and error to arrive at a specific dish and achieve a specific flavour.

When are you happiest?

When spending quality time with my family.

When you’re not in the kitchen where can you be found?

With my family, exploring the wonderful city of Venice and all its flavours, scents and locations that are new to us.

Where is your favourite place to dine?

In the comfort of my home in the company of my family, enjoying the home-cooked dishes prepared by my wife.

What’s your favourite takeaway or comfort food?

Noodles.

What makes the local food scene so exciting?

The freshest daily fish from the local fishermen, fresh and seasonal vegetables from the island of Sant’Erasmo, and the km0 culture that here can be truly nurtured.

Which is the dish you’ve created that you are most proud of and why?

The dish that truly describes my cuisine is Duck Consommé, for which I wanted to experiment and combine many Asian flavors in a single dish. The creative balance between such different flavours and aromas; the idea of introducing products into a typically Mediterranean cuisine which, perhaps, one has not had the opportunity to experience before.

You’re having friends over for dinner tonight. What’s on the table?

We’d enjoy preparing a delicious meat BBQ together.

Name your favourite city that has it all: food, culture, and nightlife.

Definitely Shanghai.

Can you tell us more about the cuisine at your restaurants?

As for Bacaromi, I have visited  many places and tried many flavors to try to understand what Bacaro is, what the essence of these popular places is. “Bacaro” means a simple restaurant or wine bar typical of Venice. Experiencing the Bacari—the wine bars—in the field helped me incredibly to appreciate the mood of classic Venice, to which I then add that reinterpretation of flavors that derive from my international experiences. As far as Aromi is concerned, however, it is a restaurant that speaks a fine dining language. In this case, therefore, the care of the product and its quality, the attention to the culinary technique, the dish and the presentation are fundamental. They are two very different restaurants, although they are in the same place, and speak two very different stories – both in terms of the setting and in terms of the menu interpretation.

Glaciar 51 by Ivan Fargnoli, Executive Head Chef at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Ingredients

• 200 Gr Glaciar 51 Cod Fish  / Merluzzo
• 50 Gr Fennel / Finocchi Taglaiti fini
• QB  Green Pea / Piselli
• Black Olives Powder / Polvere di olive nere

Directions

1. Take the Black olive, remove from the water and put it in a flat container put in the over at 80 Degree for one night, or till dry, after blender till powder (Prendere le olive nere scolarle dal liquido, posizionarle in una placca e infornarle a 80 gradi per una notte o finche non saranno secce)
2. Cut the Cod fish in half marinated with Salt and leave it in the fridge for 15 minutes (Tagliare il merluzzo a meta e condirlo con sale, metterlo in frigorifero per 15 minuti)
3. Cut the Fennel as thin as possible, put in ice water. (Tagliare i finocchi il piu sottile possibile e metterli in acqua e Ghiaccio)
4. Clean and cook the Pea (Pulire e sgusciare I piselli bollirli in acqua bollente salata, rimouovere)
5. In a hot pan Put a layer of Oil add the cod fish skin down, Cook till golden brown (In una pentola calda mettere un po di olio extra vergine d’oliva e cucinare il merluzzo con pelle a contatto, cucinarla su tutti i lati.)

To Serve

In a plate put the two Pieces of fish beside the fennel and the pea, finish with the Black Olives Powder

(In un Piatto disporre i due pezzi di Merluzzo e disporre i finocchi a lato con i piselli finire col la polvere di olive nere ì)

Tortelli of Codfish by Ivan Fargnoli, Executive Head Chef at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Ingredients

• 200 Gr Soaked, Dried Cod / Merluzzo
• 100 Gr Shelled Broad Beans / Fave
• 400 Gr Potatoes / Patate
• 2 Dl Vegetable Stock / Brodo Vegetale
• 800 Gr Garusoli (Rock Snails) / Garusoli
• 40 Gr Shallot Flavoured Oil  / Olio Aromatizato allo Scalogno
• 1 Bunch of Fennel Leaves  / Finocchi
• 1 Di Fish Stock / Brodo di Pesce
• 1 Lime / Lime
• 1 Bunch of Parsley / Prerzzemolo
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil / Olio
• Salt And Pepper / Sale e Pepe

For The Pasta

• 120 Gr 00 Soft Flour / Farina 00
• 80 Gr Durum Wheat Flour / Farina di Grano Duro
• 50 Gr Eggs / Uovo
• 60 Gr Egg Yolks / Rosso Uovo

Directions : 

For The Pasta

1. Combine The Two Types Of Flour With The Egg And Egg Yolks Until The Dough Ls Smooth And Homogeneous, Wrap In Cling-Film And Leave To Rest For 2 Hours. (Unire le due farine con l’uovo ei tuorli fino ad ottenere un impasto liscio ed omogeneo, avvolgere, nella pellicola e lasciare riposare per 2 ore)
2. Cook The Potatoes On The Grill, Peel Them And Blend With The Stock, Salt Pepper And Oil. Par-Boil The Garusoli In Lightly Salted Water, Remove Them From Their Shells And Season In A Pan With Half The Shallot Oil And Chopped Fennel Tops. (Cuocere Le Patate Sulla Griglia, Sbucciarle E Mantecare Con Il Brodo, Sale Pepe E Olio. Sbollentare i Garusoli in acqua leggermente salata, toglierli dal guscio e condirli in padella con metà dell’olio di scalogno e le cime di finocchio tritate.)

 For The Cod Fish

1. Place The Dried Cod In A Cooking Pouch With The Remaining Shallot Oil And The Fish Stock.
2. Vacuum Pack At Full.
3. Cook In A Thermostatic Bath At 66°(For 3 Hours) Flake The Dried Cod.
4. Add Half Of The Shelled Broad Beans And Adjust Seasoning With Salt And Pepper.
5. Roll Out The Pasta Thickness Of 2 Mm, Place Littte Piles Of The Dried Cod.
6. Add Another Layer Of The Pasta On Top And Cut It Forming The Tortelli.

(Mettere il merluzzo essiccato in una busta da cucina con l’olio di scalogno rimanente e il brodo di pesce. Confezionare Sottovuoto A Pieno, Cuocere In Bagno Termostatico A 66° (Per 3 Ore) Sfilettare Il Baccalà, Aggiungere Metà Delle Fave Sgusciate E Regolare Di Condimento Con Sale E Pepe. Stendere la pasta dello spessore di 2 mm, adagiare dei mucchietti di baccalà. Aggiungere sopra un altro strato di pasta e tagliarla formando i tortelli.)

To Serve

Blend The Parsley With The Oil, Salt And Pepper. Cook The Tortelli In Salted Water And Serve With The Potato Cream, The Remaining Broad Beans. The Parsley Sauce and the Garusoli.

Frullate il prezzemolo con l’olio, il sale e il pepe. Cuocere I Tortelli In Acqua Salata E Servire Con La Crema Di Patate, Le Fave Rimanenti. La Salsa al Prezzemolo e i Garusoli.