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Overlooking the picturesque lagoon and swimming pool of the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel is Primavera Restaurant where Italian chef de cuisine Chiristian Frigo whips up a delectable lunch for customers discussing the minutiae of their business deals.
Ritz-Carlton's business lunch at the Italian restaurant is a no fuss affair offering a set two-course lunch for busy executives on the go after the Eid break.
Chef Frigo, 33, a native of Camporovere village, near Venice, said: "We organised the business lunch so that our customers could eat a healthy meal and be in and out of the restaurant in less than an hour. A set menu also saves them time rather than having to choose from an extensive a la carte range of options and they can concentrate on business matters instead."
The aim has also been to provide healthy fare such as Primavera Salad comprising of fresh and crunchy greens, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese tossed in a light balsamic vinegar dressing. The main course varies daily with a choice of sea bream, hammour, sherry fish cooked to perfection in different sauces and a creation of chicken or pasta dishes on the other days.
"I work with the best ingredients as that gives a good starting point to any dish. More than 90 per cent of produce comes from abroad as I feel that it is difficult to source some good quality products locally," explained Chef Frigo who prefers to incorporate healthy cooking options in his creations. He prefers to use extra virgin olive oil instead of butter and keeps his cooking light instead of dishing out heavy sauces.
"My style of cooking is authentically Italian. My culinary creations reflect specialties from all over Italy, from the north where I come from, to the south. My recipes are customised, in fact I have incorporated my mother's cooking secrets in my kitchen," he added.
Although Chef Frigo loves Italian cuisine he prefers to experiment with new spices at home and Thai food features high on his preference list.
"I love to travel and taste different cuisines and the best way to sample authentic food is to go to a small family-run restaurant," he added.
Chef Frigo arrived in Bahrain in 2008 from Le Royal Meridian Shanghai and has 15 years of experience working in different kitchens in Europe. He has added a fresh new perspective to Primavera restaurant right from changing the table cloths to crockery and has modified the menu four times to date.
Customer satisfaction features high on Chef Frigo's agenda and he personally likes to meet and greet guests to ensure they leave Primavera happy. While the restaurant has a smart, casual atmosphere for lunch, it metamorphoses in a fine dining venue for dinner.
Primavera Restaurant is having a mushroom promotion after Eid and is also gearing up to welcome an international Michelin Star chef as part of its five-day Lifestyle Festival at the end of October.
Chef Frigo shares a recipe with GulfWeekly readers.
Potatoes, Mascarpone Cheese and Rosemary 'Tortelli', Basil Cream, Tomato Confit
Ingredients for 2 portions (5 pieces each)
Ingredients for the filling:
250gm potatoes
140gm Mascarpone cheese
50gm grated Parmesan cheese
50gm finely chopped fresh rosemary.
Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water (with skin). Once cooled remove the skin and mash them. Collect the potatoes in a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients. Mix well till all ingredients properly bind.
Keep the mixture in the refrigerator till the moment you will use it.
Ingredients for the pasta dough:
250gm white flour
250gm semolina flour
5 whole eggs.
Method:
Mix all ingredients till you will have smooth elastic dough.
Cover it with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes in room temperature.
For ravioli:
Dust a rolling pin with flour (so the dough won't stick). Roll out dough so it is about 1/3 cm) thick. Cut the dough into square 10x10cm. Place a tea spoon of potato mixture in the middle, brush the edge with beaten egg yolk then close it properly, making sure the sides are perfectly sealed. Cook ravioli in boiling water for about three to four minutes. Strain and toss them with the sauce.
