As one of Italy’s most influential chefs, Alessandro Borghese brings innovative ideas to an ever-evolving national food scene, whilst always keeping one eye on tradition. Chef, restaurateur, TV presenter, FAO collaborator - whatever Borghese is doing, he brings his characteristic warmth, wit and charisma. Whether hosting shows such as 4 Ristoranti or Celebrity Chef, or scouting suppliers for his restaurants, he stays connected to every corner of the country, sampling the best ingredients it has to offer.
Yet chief among his many roles, he says, is being a father to two girls. This brings with it a responsibility for educating the next generation as our world and diets change. “We have to start with them, start from school, start with education about food,” he emphasizes.
As part of this mission, Borghese has teamed up with FAO, using his creative flair to showcase recipes, both old and new. Italy is famous for its Mediterranean diet, which is rich in legumes and pulses. For World Pulses Day on February 10, he demonstrated how to make pisarei e fasö, a rustic dish from the northern city of Piacenza, containing pasta and borlotti beans.
Later, for World Bee Day on May 20, he crafted a rollè – filo pastry filled with pears, brie, cinnamon and honey - as a tribute to the tiny pollinators. “Everything bees touch becomes magic”, he says, reminding us that they are key to the health of the ecosystems which nourish us.
In a globalized world, Borghese prefers local ingredients. Il lusso della semplicità, or the luxury of simplicity, is the name of both of his restaurants in Milan and Venice. This points to his ethos of creating refined dishes from simple, high-quality raw materials. That’s not to say he’s afraid of new things: he recently invested in ALIA, or “something different” in Latin, a startup focused on farming crickets to produce protein-packed flour.
Alessandro Borghese is always busy, maintaining Italy’s sustainable traditions whilst embracing innovative solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. He will be joining FAO on 17 October for Junior World Food Day, bringing his passion for education, creativity and good food to the next generation of food heroes.
