Cooking in the 21st century has risen to the rank of art, and it is increasingly difficult for chefs to come up with original recipes. But this is not the case with the talented Enrico Crippa. Born in 1971 in Carate Brianza, Enrico started what will become a successful, world-renowned career, at the age of 16.
The apprenticeship period in the restaurant of Gualtiero Marchesi, the founder of modern Italian cuisine, put Enrico on the long path of collaborations with prestigious chefs of the industry such as Gislaine Arabian of Ledoyen in Paris, Christian Willer of the Palme d’Or in Cannes, Antoine Westermann of Buerehiesel in Strasbourg, Ferran Adria of El Bulli in Roses, and Michel Bras of Laguiole.
At the age of 19, in 1990, the prodigy won 1st place in the competition Concorso Artistico di Cucina (Artistic Cooking) and repeated this success in 1992. A few years later, at the age of 25, Enrico left for Japan to work in Kobe in Marchesi’s restaurant and Rhiga Royal Hotel in Osaka.
The French-American famous author, chef and television personality Jacques Pepin, once said: “You have no choice as a professional chef: you have to repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat until it becomes part of yourself.” And that is precisely what Enrico did after returning from Japan: worked tirelessly to master the techniques and achieve his dream of opening his restaurant.
This dream came true in 2003 when another great chef, Carlo Cracco, recommended Enrico to the influential Ceretto family from the Piedmont region, in search of a chef at the time. It took one dish for them to understand that their search was over, and thus began their collaboration with the opening of the restaurant Piazza Duomo in Alba.
A relentless perfectionist, Enrico creates unique dishes by using simple ingredients and mixing them with an imagination that knows no limits. The vegetables are all fresh and come from the garden just outside Alba, where Enrico goes without exception every day at 7.30 in the morning. There is no way that he will use anything other than freshly picked leaves for his famous salad 21, 31, 41, 51. Why did he name it this way? Because it is made from 21, 31, 41 or 51 different leaves per plate! It is a symphony of tastes unaltered by condiments and seasoning that will leave anyone baffled.
The most fabulous sensation when eating in Enrico’s Piazza Duomo feels like you’ve tasted an artistic creation. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2006, the second in 2009, and the last in 2012, reaching the maximum number of stars awarded by Michelin. Enrico Crippa managed to put the restaurant on the shortlist of the World’s 50 greatest restaurants, and in 2019 Piazza Duomo ranks number 29 in this top.
A chef with roots rooted deeply in the traditions of Italian cuisine, an innovator and a perfectionist par excellence, Enrico Crippa is a name that needs no introduction. The road to an unparalleled dining experience begins with Enrico Crippa.
Enjoy even more @ Piazza Duomo Restaurant
by Claudia Ciclovan