Chef Alessandro Fiacco (Instagram A/c: alex.fiacco), a 37-year-old with a love of cooking, was born in Ciociaria. His culinary adventures began at a very young age. Going back to his early years, when he was still too young to reach the stove, he loved to cook for his family and himself and would often stand on a stool to try to replicate recipes at home. He became so enthralled with flavours, aromas, and ingredients that his passion turned into a career.
Chef Alessandro said, “I love Getting My Hands Dirty and I think I was with a Ladle in my Hand.”
Q.) Your passion is cooking. How did that passion turn into a career?
Chef Alessandro: I spent most of my time in the kitchen, so I decided to turn my passion into a career.
Q.) What modifications do you like to make to your Italian cooking to make it more creative?
Chef Alessandro: I cook classic Italian dishes, but I don’t go overboard—just a little more care and attention. I think Italian food is the best in the world.
Q.) In the past, oxtail was regarded as the food of the impoverished in Italy; however, it is currently one of the more expensive dishes in Roman cuisine. How did this dish come to be more expensive?
Chef Alessandro: Since it requires a lot of time to prepare, the cost of the oxtail preparation is higher than that of the raw material.
Q.) Which flavours characterise Italian food the most?
Chef Alessandro: Italian cooking is also a veritable ode to freshness; it makes use of superb ingredients like flavorful herbs, artisanal cheeses, juicy tomatoes, and extra-virgin olive oil to give meals their distinct taste.
Q.) What impact does the ongoing globalisation of gastronomy have on Italian cuisine?
Chef Alessandro: Food production and consumption have undergone a revolutionary shift as a result of globalisation, with diets becoming increasingly varied as food becomes more widely available on the planet.
Q.) Give a single word that best describes your kitchen. What kind of thing would that be?
Chef Alessandro: The primary ingredient in the food I work with is love.
Q.) In what ways has becoming a chef altered your life?
Chef Alessandro: Being a chef is challenging because you work long hours and seldom see your family. It’s also complicated because you rest when others are working.
Q.) What is the most difficult task you have in the kitchen?
Chef Alessandro: Managing staff members and suppliers is the hardest thing to do in the kitchen.
Q.) When preparing Italian food, do you ever get bored? What is the best way to maintain your passion?
Chef Alessandro: Cooking never bores me; in fact, I enjoy the work. The key is to constantly try out new recipes.
Q.) Any guidance for the aspiring chef?
Chef Alessandro: For those who want to become chef, my advice is to learn as much as you can by studying a lot, observe other chefs, and never undervalue the importance of raw materials.
By: Rida Khan (Aviation Author)
Instagram A/c: aviationauthor.ridakhan
