Chapter III. Il gusto della terra

At Albòri, our main restaurant, Chef Marco’s dishes are fed by the hands of independent producers such as Aurelia from La Derta Farm. Their relationship might not be the most practical, as you’ll read below, but it’s the most human, and the most colorful.

Marco: Albòri’s dishes and tasting menus are designed to tell the story of a region, a producer, or a person. This way, I believe they can evoke emotions and stir something deeper in the memory than taste alone. 

As a restaurant, it’s only possible to do this on a consistent basis when you have strong friendships with people like Aurelia. And I do mean friendships, not just partnerships. We have to work to your schedule, which is nature’s schedule, and only a friendship gives you the safety and flexibility to do this. 

Marco: That’s the beautiful thing about La Derta: the value you give to time and the connection that exists between the earth and the human being. It has allowed us to slow down the rhythm of the kitchen and follow the natural flow of the seasons.

Aurelia: The landscape determines what I create, and I have to choose certain vegetables or fruit because of the configuration of the land. I’m a woman working only with the help of one gardener, so it’s a lot to manage. You immediately understood this reality.

Marco: Of course, because it’s a privilege to honor the work of producers like yourself. People who have an irrational passion for the practices that go into creating quality ingredients. When you give us a product, it has something more. What you bring us has a heart. It has a completely different flavor compared to something from the market.

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