Alberto Faccani

Chef Alberto Faccani's culinary philosophy is rooted in a profound respect for the Romagna territory and its seasonality, while embracing a "bucolic" avant-garde approach. He champions a "territorial and seasonal cuisine with a commendable quality/price ratio," a vision further realized with his move to the countryside, allowing him a comprehensive, "360-degree" approach to ingredients, spanning both land and sea. Faccani deliberately carves his own path, eschewing trends that don't align with his context and climate, as evidenced by his preference for pickled over fermented techniques. His ethos is defined as a cuisine "of product, of technique, and of research," always striving for the "purity of taste without ever giving up on fun." He acknowledges an evolution from playful dish creation to a more structured, broader perspective. Central to his philosophy is the unwavering commitment to the client, ensuring everyone "always feels good" – a responsibility he considers paramount. Faccani also sees himself as an "entrepreneur as well as a chef," emphasizing the importance of a cohesive and respected team as crucial to success and maintaining the restaurant's high standards. Ingredient sourcing is meticulously local and hyper-seasonal. Fish is acquired daily from the Adriatic markets of Ancona, Cesenatico, Rimini, and even Chioggia for seasonal specialties like soft-shell crabs, through a dedicated supplier guaranteeing freshness. For terrestrial ingredients, he cultivates relationships with local artisans, including breeders for pigeon and lamb, Zavoli for Romagna blackberries, and the Talamello slaughterhouse for sweetbreads and stock bones. Olive oil is produced in the area, vegetables are sourced from Cesena, and a small aromatic herb garden, supplemented by foraging, further enriches his pantry. He prioritizes "cacciato e pescato" (hunted and fished) products, valuing natural bounty over farmed alternatives whenever possible. Chef Faccani's signature approach is characterized by authoritative depth in technical mastery and artistic presentation, where "technique is at the service of beauty." He crafts dishes with "elegant and imaginative forms, sometimes playful on a classic and generous base," always delivering full, pure flavors. His background, shaped by the rigorous organization of Enoteca Pinchiorri and inspired by culinary titans like Gualtiero Marchesi and Ferran Adrià, informs his structured yet innovative style. He is noted for his "circular suggestions and zero waste" philosophy, exemplified by his masterful use of every component of an ingredient. His plating is defined by an "essential and non-redundant aesthetic," while flavor profiles often explore the delicate balance between sweetness and bitter trends, achieved through meticulous ingredient pairings. The sommelier, Andrea Fiorini, contributes to this by curating a wine list of 700 labels and crafting "surprising" pairings that complement the cuisine's complexity. Among his most legendary signature dishes are: * **Calamaro alla carbonara e tartufo (Squid carbonara and truffle)**: A classic reimagined, where squid replaces traditional pasta, featuring spherified egg yolk, Pecorino cheese, guanciale, and black truffle from Norcia. * **Spaghetti alla chitarra with mustard greens and langoustines**: A harmonious blend of wild mustard's bittersweet notes with fresh verbena, complemented by Ancona langoustines and a delicate bisque from fried heads. * **Tortelli of passatelli**: An "epitome of Romagna," encapsulating the region's culinary identity with passatelli dough encased in a tortellino, served with chicken glaze, marinated shallot, and stridoli leaves. * **Heart sweetbread of Romagna breed**: A classically prepared sweetbread served with morels stuffed with sweetbread, wild garlic from Valmarecchia, and a liaison of smoked milk foam. * **Seared scallop**: A testament to zero-waste, presented with spring asparagus, bottarga, almond bagna cauda (Alajmo style), green anchovy sauce, and a broth made from asparagus peels. * **Sgombro bruciato, saor di ortaggi e frutti rossi (Burnt mackerel with vegetable saor and red fruits)**: Showcases a Japanese technique for the mackerel, balanced by the sweet-sour profile of saor and red fruits, finished with the aromatic bitterness of carciofi. * **Rombo alla cacciatora (Turbot hunter's style)**: An ingenious inversion, applying the robust flavors of a hunter's style chicken recipe (olives, onions, creamy potato puree) to delicate turbot. * **Zuppa Inglese (English Trifle)**: A deconstructed, elegant "sandwich" version, light and designed to be eaten by hand, delivering the quintessential cherry alchermes flavor of the traditional dessert.

Career

• Chef-Owner at Magnolia, Longiano