Cristiano Tomei uses all kinds of technology in the kitchen: from marinating egg yolks in tomato juice, to hanging a pigeon for hours over a hotplate; from roasting roots in salt to the cold infusion of soil and water as the base for a soup.
Nevertheless he is a self-taught cook: a graduate of the Istituto Nautico, he trained by helping out at family lunches with clams collected on the Viareggio beaches and wild asparagus from the hills between Lucca and the sea, travelling with his surfer friends but then leaving them in the water to go exploring in the markets, greasy spoon cafés and gourmet restaurants of the Netherlands, Cuba, Peru, Madagascar and India.
He opened his first restaurant aged 27, initially right on the beach, later moving to the centre of Viareggio and finally to Lucca, where today he leads a close-knit team of five plus various apprentices, and where he achieved his first Michelin star in 2014.
He is a frequent guest on various TV shows – from “La prova del cuoco” to “Masterchef Magazine” – and a judge on the cookery talent show “I re della griglia”.
This chef may use techniques from around the world, but he only uses only prime local ingredients: fish from the Tyrrhenian; meats, dairy products, fruit and vegetables from the Garfagnana area; herbs, berries, sprouts and wild flowers gathered every day in the pine woods and meadows where he has roamed since he was a boy.
He loves to present his dishes to his guests in person at his restaurant l’Imbuto: flavours, textures, pairings, wine glass and conversation become a single thing, stimulating curiosity and kindling enjoyment for both the diner at the table and the person standing to serve them.
Get in touch