From Verona to the world stage, Chef Renato Bosco is an artist revolutionising the concept of dough making in contemporary Italian pizza. SHOBORI GANGULI had the honour to be at the high table where he personally laid out his lavish spread
Starved by Covid for two years, the hospitality industry across the globe is witnessing a huge surge, years of isolation having provided the industry with time to script innovative ideas for increased footfalls. One such is the idea of the Roving Chef wherein restaurants are organsing pop ups by globally known Chefs who serve their guests with their signature culinary curations. And the equally starved guests are dining out with a vengeance. A truly winning combination.
Recently, Shangri-La Eros in Delhi invited the intenationally acclaimed Maestro Di Pizza Chef Renato Bosco to their Sorrento Ristorante to let their patrons indulge in some exquisite artisanal Italian cuisine, handcrafted by the Chef.
Years ago, in the quaint ancient town of Verona was a young boy fired with a unique passion to revolutionise the art of dough making, the crust that humbly lies unacknowledged under the heavy accent of toppings. Today that passion is Chef Bosco’s groundbreaking artisanal concept of contemporary pizza.
Chef Bosco’s experiments have in fact earned him the sobriquet of Pizza Ricercatore (Pizza Researcher). Ranked among the world’s top 50 Italian Chefs, he has indeed redefined for all of us, including Italians, what we hitherto perceived as the traditional Italian pizza.
Unveiling his mastery in an open kitchen, Chef Bosco was a bundle of energy as he emptied packets of Caputo’s soft wheat flour, known for its airy crust, into bowls. He went on to spin magic with the dough, infused with salt and fresh yeast, kneaded and patted with olive oil, then allowed to rest for at least four hours before being placed into the oven and served with delectable toppings.
For Chef Bosco, the crust or the base of a pizza is the soul and core of this culinary wonder. From alternating temperatures to consistency, thin seared crusts to fluffy melt-in-your-mouth bases, we were treated to various shapes and sizes of pizzas one could never imagine even possible. Crafted with precision, each dish that came our way was a masterpiece, each a Bosco patent. For him, the pizza itself is not as much a focus as its myriad shapes and flavours, sourced from the freshest, seasonal ingredients.
We started our meal with the Chef’s signature Mozzarella Di Pane, (with a delicate topping of Burrata, shrimp and bacon), a selection that offered three varieties including Arrabbiata and Amatriciana. Pizza Al Padellino offered Margherita (infused with Pomodor, Confit and emulsion of basil). Next came was the Pizza Crunch, Tatin Funghi, with mushroom, cream of potato, Porchetta with vegetables, closed in with a sliver of meat. This one stole my heart. The vegetarian version was a Crunch Pizza with Seasonal Vegetables. Chef Bosco’s signature was clearly inked on his Pizza Doppio Crunch (Double Crunch with Mozzarella).
For me, personally, the Gourmet Pizza compostion of Ananas was a show stealer. A crispy thin crust topped with a delicate compostion of sliced pineapple, mustard and prawns, the aromatic creation was soul lifting. The Four Cheese was a crunchy hearty, nutty combo. The vegetarian Risotto with pumpkin and Gorgonzala was sheer poetry while the non vegetarians had a delicious delve into crab and lemon zest.
In the main course what really shone out was the Sous Vide Young Chicken Roulade Ricotta stuffed with Potato Espuma and Morel, the luscious chicken dancing to perfection. We ended the sumptuous feast on a sweet note with Maritozzo with Cream and Coffee. I will now await the next Roving Chef in town.
