Caterina Ceraudo

Chef Caterina Ceraudo's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in responsibility, sustainability, and a profound respect for Calabria's land and traditions. Her core ethos revolves around memory, vision, organic practices, and ethics, viewing cooking as an act of profound responsibility that honors the hearth and tradition. Her ingredient sourcing is meticulously "careful and responsible." The Dattilo restaurant is nestled within her family's Ceraudo farm, where many of the raw materials are cultivated. The farm, a pioneer in organic farming in Calabria, provides oranges, tangerines, figs, summer pears, apricots, and a variety of garden produce directly to her kitchen. She extends this commitment by selecting external suppliers who adhere to organic and sustainable agriculture, sharing her values of quality, authenticity, passion, and respect for the product, the land, and labor. This dedication ensures that her cuisine is not only deeply connected to its origins but also ethically sound and environmentally conscious; the restaurant and estate are even energetically self-sufficient. Caterina's overarching vision is to offer a fine dining experience that is accessible to all, with a strong focus on client wellness and authenticity. She champions a no-waste cooking style, exalting raw materials and honoring the natural rhythms of the seasons. Her philosophy, significantly influenced by her training at Niko Romito's Accademia, instills a deep reverence for food's natural origins, from its birth and growth to its final transformation on the plate, ensuring every dish reflects the integrity of its components. Caterina Ceraudo's technical style is characterized by its minimalism, focusing on simple, balanced, and light flavors that honor Calabrian traditions while embracing contemporary experimentation. She employs precise cooking techniques, honed at Niko Romito's school, to maintain the unaltered characteristics of raw materials throughout the cooking process. Her approach to flavor and plating involves a harmonious blend of traditional tastes with modern explorations of consistencies, temperatures, and pairings; her cuisine is predominantly plant-based, with a noted fondness for citrus fruits, reflecting the bounty of her region. Technology plays a crucial role in her kitchen, used to safeguard both raw materials and client well-being, aiding in meticulous planning, streamlining manual tasks for her staff, and ensuring consistent food quality. However, Ceraudo strongly emphasizes that technology must always align with tradition and the artisan quality of recipes, ensuring innovation enhances rather than distances from the essence of her culinary heritage. Her most legendary signature dish mentioned is the "furisiska," a summer vegetable soup served with a broth made from stale bread, emblematic of her no-waste philosophy and regional focus.

Career

• Executive Chef at Dattilo, Strongoli