Elide Cordero

Chef Elide Cordero's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in the reinterpretation of Piemontese tradition through a contemporary lens, driven by passion, verve, and creativity. Her core ethos is built upon the rhythm of the seasons and the integrity of local produce, consistently pursuing clarity of flavor and constant progress. Having inherited practicality and substance from her familial heritage, she consciously evolves traditional home flavors and territorial wealth into a distinctive contemporary identity. Her approach prioritizes lightening and refining tradition, with sobriety as a guiding principle—emphasizing a few key ingredients and clear flavors. This is coupled with a rigorous selection of excellent local raw materials, chosen seasonally and with profound respect for each ingredient's unique sensory characteristics. Elide's cuisine is incisive and minimalist, a delicate balance between technical mastery and genuine emotion, crafted "with the soul" to resonate across time and speak directly to the senses. She believes in understanding the "soul of food" by comprehending all aspects of ingredients, from seasonality to animal feed, to best express their inherent flavors and textures. This commitment leads her to directly engage with artisan farmers, fostering trusting relationships and ensuring only the highest quality, chemical-free products cross her kitchen's threshold. Chef Elide Cordero's technical mastery is characterized by an incisive, minimalist approach that gracefully refines and lightens traditional Piemontese cuisine. Her style emphasizes clarity of flavor through sobriety, utilizing just a few perfectly balanced ingredients per dish. She meticulously selects excellent local, seasonal raw materials, respecting their intrinsic sensory characteristics, and avoids unnecessary embellishments, allowing the pure, natural flavors to shine. Her cooking is a delicate balance of precise technique and profound emotion, "created with the soul." Through deep understanding of ingredients, she designs recipes that best express a product's flavors and textures, with no chemical-laden products ever crossing her kitchen's threshold. Her legendary signature dishes include a variety of exquisitely prepared pastas and meats, but two stand out: 1. **Codone (Vicciola Veal)**: A testament to minimalist perfection, this dish features prized Vicciola veal, raised on a unique hazelnut diet for unparalleled tenderness and delicate flavor. Elide prepares a loin steak simply, sprinkling it with salt, searing it in a hot, dry pan until rare, and finishing with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The dish's purity ensures the meat's transcendental qualities are the sole focus, with embellishments deemed superfluous. 2. **Fritto Misto alla Piemontese**: A highly sought-after culinary rite, Elide's version of this traditional fried assortment is available only during specific months (January, February, March) and requires advance reservation. It embodies the "waste not, want not" philosophy of agrarian living, featuring a varied mix of organ meats, sweetbreads, vegetables, and other morsels. Crucially, Elide insists on using only well-seasoned cast iron pans (at least three years old), stating that "New metal modifies the flavor of the olive oil," a detail that underscores her deep understanding of traditional cooking vessels and their impact on flavor. The piping hot morsels are immediately plated on brown paper and served, emphasizing freshness and optimal temperature.

Career

• Head Chef at Il Centro, Priocca