Buonissima: A new food event relaunches Turin’s gastronomic future

How do you create a successful food festival? Or any festival, for that matter. First of all you need the right ideas and the right partners. The vision of all the people involved should come together as one and… Wait a moment, this is turning into a clichéd article about startup culture.

Buonissima is an international food event that has just completed its maiden edition and it would be fair to say it was a success. But what’s the measure for success? As with every new project, there are teething issues, and the barometer shouldn’t be the balance of rights and wrongs, rather whether it carved an identity. This five-day event proved just that.

Turin is the capital of Piedmont, one of Italy’s richest culinary regions – think white truffle, hazelnut and Barolo wines. Coffee giant Lavazza and vermouth brand Martini (before becoming a drink in Turin, vermouth was used only as a medicine) are from the city itself. It was the first seat of Italy’s parliament and it boasts the largest Egyptian museum in the world outside of Cairo. And, of course, many know Turin for being the home of Fiat and football club Juventus.

It’s a post-industrial city trying to find a new role as a major economic and touristic European destination: like Manchester but beautiful and with good food. Turin is now having a significant comeback, hosting a major tennis competition – the ATP finals – for the next five years, as well as Eurovision in May next year. It’s Italy’s fourth largest city but nearby rival Milan casts a shadow that is hard to escape.

But, going back to the original question, how do you put together an event and cement its international standing? Validation can come organically, with steady growth, or can be accelerated by the presence of big players. Buonissima opted for the latter, and for the inaugural programme they boasted some of the world’s most celebrated chefs: Ferran and Albert Adrià, Massimo Bottura, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Ana Roš, Mauro Uliassi and Norbert Niederkofler.

These aren’t random picks. Lavazza, the main sponsor, work closely with the Adriàs, and Bob Noto, a famous Turinese food photographer and gourmet, collaborated with many of these chefs. Sadly, Noto passed away a few years ago, and the event’s main award is dedicated to (and shaped after) him. This year, it was given to Aduriz for his cuisine’s trademark irreverence.

Buonissima’s first edition took place during the last week of October. Choosing a point in time that makes sense for a location’s culinary identity is key, and doing it whilst avoiding clashes in an already oversaturated calendar of events is not an easy task. This is white truffle season, when the Piedmontese cuisine thrives: stews, agnolotti and tajarin (tagliolini) take centre stage. It’s the kind of food you want to have with local wines like Nebbiolo, Barbera and Barolo.

During the five-day programme we had great food. It all started with Piolissima – a night that celebrates the trattorias, locally known as piolas – with a dinner at Antiche Sere, a personal favourite in Turin; despite a generational change (the son took over from the legendary elderly mother), every dish, from the classic bagna càuda to the tripe stew and a bunet dessert, was exceptional.

We went through the highs (literally at Piano 35, a high-rise restaurant, and flavour-wise with a four-hand lunch at Michelin-starred Dolce Stil Novo) and lows (an over-complicated dining experience that will remain unnamed). We tried a memorable pastry from Farmacia del Cambio – a cubic croissant dubbed “cubrik”, made using a special Japanese mould – and took part in a once-in-a-lifetime gala dinner at the Mole Antonelliana (the symbol of Turin), in an immersive space inspired by Fellini’s movies, where the Adrià brothers, Matteo Baronetto, Mauro Uliassi, Ana Roš and Norberbt Niederkofler each cooked a dish.

 

The culinary highlight was Bottura’s dinner at the Automobile Museum. The chef, whose restaurant Osteria Francescana has been voted the best in the world multiple times, managed to serve an incredible multi-course fine-dining dinner to over 100 people. Dishes included a Ferrari-inspired lasagna, the iconic tortellini in crema di parmigiano with white truffle, a charcoal-grilled cotechino (a nod to a Damien Hirst painting), an onion bread tribute to chef Salvatore Tassa (which is currently part of Francescana’s tasting menu), and finally popcorn covered in white truffle.

On Sunday we set foot into the Langhe, land of truffles, nebbiolos and Nutella, about an hour from Turin. Truffle trader Tartuflanghe showed us how to find the luxurious delicacy in the fields, with the aid of a truffle hound, and how they utilise it for their products. Finally, a lunch cooked by Anthony Genovese and Giuseppe Iannotti – who run Michelin-starred restaurants Pagliaccio (Rome) and Krèsios (not too far from Naples), respectively – showcased the versatility of truffle with pasta, meat and sweet dishes.

Now it’s clear why Buonissima was a success. It gave the impression of enormous untapped potential for Turin, and yet it delivered on every level, from comfort food to fine dining. Which tells us that we will see more of it in the years to come. That’s the key, just like a TV cliffhanger: it left us thirsty for more.

Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

For further information about Buonissima and future events visit the festival’s website here.