42

Piazza Duomo

Alba

A story told through exquisite northern Italian produce

On the Pass

Enrico Crippa

A journey for the senses: Enrico Crippa’s cuisine is a voyage through space and time, led by taste, colour, texture and aroma. His latest menus show a confluence of two core ideas: on one hand, he wants to highlight the relationship between ingredients and their local territory; on the other, he looks to explore new frontiers through a creative synthesis of taste and technique, with nods to the future. The dishes served strip away anything superfluous and allow the star ingredients to shine, uninterrupted.

Edible history: During the lockdowns between 2019 and 2021, chef Crippa sought out dishes that were a tribute to the cuisine of Piedmont, be it from the kitchens of farmers or the feast tables of nobility. He did this by researching old texts, from Brillat Savarin to Garibaldi, and resulted in a food style that ties countryside to city, subtly interweaving French influence.

Inspire and educate: The dishes that land on your table have historical nods at every turn. Snails and polenta, for example, feature escargot that were first bred by Benedictine monks. The herbs that were used to feed these snails were the same that monks used for their own medicines and infusions. Today, these herbs appear beside the snails. A wild garlic risotto is similarly a masterpiece of colour and taste.

A note on atmosphere: Chef Crippa’s talent is matched by the unique environment provided by the historic building that the restaurant calls home. The walls of the pink space, which carry frescos by Francesco Clemente, reflect beautiful natural light, and the windows afford a fine vista of the stunning Piazza Risorgimento and its marvellous Duomo.

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