Antonia Klugmann

Antonia Klugmann's culinary philosophy is a deeply personal and profound homage to nature, health, and a visceral aversion to waste, all rooted in her immediate surroundings at L'Argine a Vencò. Her core ethos is centered on "cooking in a way that is healthy," profoundly influenced by her own dietary journey. This commitment translates into a technical style that minimizes fat, exemplified by her eschewal of traditional soffritto, opting instead for methods that highlight natural flavors with reduced richness. Her ingredient sourcing is almost exclusively hyper-local, revolving around her extensive garden and the wild landscape of Vencò. Klugmann approaches nature "with the eyes of a child who discovers new things every day," seeing the landscape as her fundamental pantry—a "treasure island" that continually broadens her horizons. This deep connection manifests in her use of self-grown vegetables, inherited plum trees, and foraged wild herbs like radicchio and pimpinella from her "secret clearing." She actively champions sustainability by utilizing all parts of animals, including offal, retrieved from local farmers, transforming "slaughtering scraps" into celebrated dishes as a "way of celebrating the animal, its sacrifice." Her "poetics" is entirely driven by nature and seasonality, rejecting the exotic in favor of the authentic and local. Klugmann's overarching vision is to cultivate a harmonious dialogue between the indoor dining space and the outdoor environment, creating a cuisine that is a faithful interpretation of its natural context. She prioritizes the integrity of taste and flavor above all, asserting that "the beauty is in the taste and flavor you manage to give it," rather than mere aesthetics. This philosophy extends to her approach to growth, emphasizing a slow, organic improvement for both her garden and her restaurant, fostering loyalty through continuous self-betterment rather than aggressive marketing. Her multi-faceted heritage—Ukrainian-Jewish, Emilian, Triestina, and Pugliese—also subtly informs her unique and complex culinary identity, contributing to a style that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Chef Klugmann's technical style is characterized by an "extraordinary sensitivity" to ingredients, aimed at respecting their essence while transforming them with "touches, strums" of culinary artistry. A hallmark of her approach is a commitment to healthy cooking, evident in her innovative fat-reduction techniques. She bypasses the traditional Italian soffritto, instead employing a method for tomato sauce that involves low-temperature oil and garlic, adding tomatoes, and then onions only after the tomatoes release water, allowing for flavor development with minimal fat. She is also a proponent of iron pans over non-stick, reflecting a preference for traditional, robust cooking tools. Her discipline extends to utilizing "all parts of an animal" and even the "roots, flowers, pits" of fruits and vegetables to add complexity and minimize waste. Flavor is paramount in Klugmann's kitchen; she believes "the beauty is in the taste and flavor you manage to give it," often resulting in minimalist plating that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. Her dishes are known for their "delicacy that fills the palate, teases it and above all tells a story," often through unexpected yet harmonious combinations. Examples include the purity of her Mullet confit, artfully cooked in truffle-aromatized oil and served with marinated chanterelles and wild herbs. Her Sea urchins and peach dish is a testament to her mastery, balancing the intense flavor of Adriatic sea urchins with Sicilian mullet bottarga, bitter peach toffee, rue, fermented black garlic, and candied orange—a "small miracle" of complexity. She also crafts refined "first courses" that are central to Italian cuisine, such as Ravioli with cherry filling, white asparagus and Fossa cheese and Spaghetti with fig leaves and wildflowers, both showcasing her deep connection to seasonal and foraged ingredients. Even seemingly simple dishes like Boiled pork belly with rosemary are elevated into a "fondant symphony" with sweet and sour radicchio and liquorice, proving her ability to infuse common ingredients with unexpected depth and elegance.

Career

• Apprentice at Baldovino, Ipplis di Premariacco, Udine
• Apprentice at Il Pozzo Dipinto, Valvasone, Pordenone
• Stage Chef at Arquade di Villa del Quar, Pedemonte, Verona
• Stage Chef at Dolada, Pieve d’Alpago, Belluno
• Chef-Owner at L’Antico Foledor Conte Lovaria, Pavia di Udine
• Chef at Il Ridotto, Venezia
• Chef at Venissa, Mazzorbo, Venezia
• Chef-Owner at L’Argine a Vencò, Dolegna del Collio

Mentored by Raffaello Mazzolini, Bruno Barbieri, Enzo De Prà, Riccardo De Prà, Gianni Bonaccorsi.