Michele Maltinti
Michele was born and grown up on the sea, breathing iodine and salt as an infant and as a young boy started going out in the boat very early with his father and fishermen friends, those who then found themselves at Porticciolo, surrounded by actors and unusual characters that had a notable impact on sensitivity of the boy.
The emotions experienced in those years, especially in the sea, are the ones imprinted in his memory and are to be reproduced by adult in his dishes:
he sees the fish with different eyes, learns to distinguish, to appreciate it, admires the vivid colours of freshly catch, the colours that vanish forever in few hours, discovers many varieties and the beauty of the colours in the nets.
Remembers unique strong flavours, such as eggs extracted from live lobsters taken right now out of the water and eaten in the boat, as well as raw slipper lobsters or raw sea urchin.
Is self-taught, researches constantly, studies through books, reads the classical authors, travels, attends five star places. He handles the whole tuna, freshly caught even by himself, and he uses its every part, as Pomata and Chiaromonte. Observes the great master Marchesi, the great French chefs, tries and tries again to find his own way.
Whimsical character, stubborn and picky, loves his job and tries to reach the greatest satisfaction from his creations.
Designates to reproduce the colours and those real sea flavours so beloved by him, with modern techniques and with special attention to the practicality and the performance timing inside the restaurant. Ideas arrive from boxes full of fish that still moves, the sea dictate the menu.
His cuisine is sincere, full of Mediterranean flavours and respectful, as much as possible, of the surrounding territories. Researches with great meticulousness the best ingredients, from bread making flours, to extra-virgin oils, chocolate, coffee and wine of which he is a great lover!