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Michelin-starred Matteo Rizzo hosting Italian dinners in Dubai

DUBAI MARINA'S NEWEST hotel, Stella Di Mare, is home to Italian restaurant Leonardo - named after arguably the most impressive polymath in history, Leonardo Da Vinci. And like its titular namesake, the eatery looks to offer innovation at every turn.
This week Leonardo is hosting notable Italian chef, Matteo Rizzo, for a series of dinner services until March 30 where he will cook alongside the venue's in-house Michele Sciotti, showcasing a bespoke menu featuring the finest Mediterranean culinary creations.  
Chef Matteo is best known for the family-owned Il Desco ristorante in Verona, which boasts a Michelin star.
We caught up with him ahead of his UAE trip.
What elements from Il Desco will you be offering your guests in Dubai?
I am very excited to be coming back to the city this week. It will be a big honour to cook alongside Michele Sciotti, who is a young, promising and talented chef. My cuisine is based on tradition, which takes Italian gastronomic culture and transports it through time, with a modern twist. From Il Desco, I'll be bringing my passion to the kitchen while teaching the other chefs tips and tricks on how to prepare the best high-quality dishes.
How much does a Michelin star impact your business? Can you remember the change when it was awarded?
Il Desco was opened by my father in 1981 and gained the first Michelin Star in 1985. I grew up in the kitchen and I fell in love with cooking, observing my father during the creation of dishes. I have always envied how naturally my father Elia would approach things. In the kitchen, every ingredient that passed through his hands would acquire a particular flavour and colour; it was amazing to watch him touch, taste, smell his creations. The Michelin Star is part of me, my way of thinking and my work has always been oriented to quality. It gives the restaurant a reputable name in the Italian culinary scene.
Why do you think Italian cooking remains so popular anywhere in the world? Are there any innovations in the recipes or is demand for the classics too high?
I think today people are tired of having "extreme" cuisine. There is the necessity to return to a simpler kind of food made in a modern way: respecting our past and our territory. Our cuisine is based on heart and tradition, that takes Italian gastronomic culture and transports it through time.
From which region of Italy do you believe the best food originates? If you were putting together a food tour of your country, where would you recommend?
As Italians, we usually care deeply about and love our family's cooking history: grandmas' and mums' recipes are passed on with care and pride. Some of us are more aware than others of regional characteristics typical of each dish, but it is not usual, when it comes to the kitchen, to look further back than a couple of generations.
The history of Italian cuisine, however, is as long and rich as the country's history itself. Its origins laying deep into the ancestral history of Rome, its people and its political, cultural and social power. Italian cuisine has evolved and changed following the evolution and the changes of Italy itself throughout centuries of wars, cultural mutations and intergrations. It's a history as rich, colourful and fascinating as the most amazing of recipes. It is impossible to prefer some dishes or regions. Every place is special.
What are your golden rules for pizza?
My idea of making great pizza involves more tricks than it used to: from the rising techniques to the choice of flour and of course, the topping. Pizza has a history. It has gone from being a fast food dish to a 'gourmet' dish. In my opinion, the best pizzas have classic toppings.
If someone is trying to impress dinner guests, what is one simple dish you suggest they try?
Panzanella. This classic Italian bread and tomato salad manages to be fresh and summery, hearty and full of flavours to eat as a light supper or lunch.
How do you find running the family business compared to working in other people's kitchens?
Getting out of the role of host/owner and being a special guest is always a wonderful feeling. The reference points certainly change and the expectations are always very high: the challenge is always to transmit authentic flavours even away from home.
How do you find TV/ video work? Is that something you'd like to do more of?
I don't have television at home. I know little about television broadcasts. TV shows don't interest me much.
Details
What: Italian Dinner hosted by Michelin-starred Chef Matteo
When: Every evening until March 30
Address: Leonardo, Stella Di Mare Hotel Dubai Marina
Email: leonardo.dubai@stelladimare.com
david@khaleejtimes.com