Silio Del Fabro

Chef Silio Del Fabro's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in his profound love for food and a steadfast commitment to exceptional ingredients. He views cooking not merely as a profession but as a true calling, driven by the desire to evoke the "pure happy experience" he felt enjoying childhood meals. This ethos translates into an unwavering dedication, often involving 14.5-hour workdays, as he strives to maintain and elevate the two-Michelin-star standard at Esplanade. A cornerstone of his approach is a rigorous commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing. He finds the waste of vegetable scraps in many kitchens "appalling" and ensures that ingredients are utilized "to the last detail." What might feature in a gourmet tasting menu could reappear as a refined amuse-bouche in his second restaurant, Le petit Cinq, showcasing both creativity and conscious consumption. Del Fabro sources a significant portion of his ingredients locally, including vegetables from the Stadtbauernhof Saarbrücken and fruits and herbs from a biodynamic community. His engagement with the Hof am Weiher cooperative, which collaborates with over 70 agricultural businesses, further solidifies his dedication to regional agriculture and high-quality produce. His cooking is also profoundly influenced by his Italian heritage, with deep family roots in Friaul. Memories of Frico e Polenta, fresh watermelon, and his mother's "Spaghetti Bolo" inform his appreciation for authentic, soulful flavors. While his cuisine is broadly described as "moderately modernized, classically French-oriented," his underlying vision is to present dishes with immense precision, refinement, substance, and an unyielding focus on the product, transforming classic taste profiles into elegantly composed masterpieces without resorting to forced creativity. He aims to make dishes taste "more like themselves," elevating natural flavors to their peak expression. Chef Silio Del Fabro's technical mastery is characterized by an exquisite attention to detail and a methodical approach to elevating classic flavors. His style is best described as a moderately modernized, classic French-oriented cuisine, where robust traditional tastes are rendered with extreme finesse and elegance on the plate, ensuring authenticity without sacrificing creativity. Precision is paramount in his kitchen, where sharp knives are indispensable for transforming superior ingredients into culinary masterpieces. Butter plays a crucial role in his repertoire, essential for crafting creamy sauces and achieving the perfect texture in crustaceans. His ability to transform and intensify natural flavors is evident in dishes like his Wassermelonen-Würfel (watermelon cube), served as an aperitif. This seemingly simple creation is brought to life with a blend of limonen oil, a special salt mixture, ginger, and chili, enhancing the watermelon's inherent taste. The dish is further elevated by the inclusion of chiffonierte Minze and icy mint granita, providing a complex interplay of textures and temperatures that creates an elegant and refreshing welcome. Another beloved signature dish, the Gnocchi Sardi with Ragout Bianco, Parmesan in Textures, and Basilikumöl, originated as a staff meal and was so popular it earned a permanent place on the Esplanade menu. Described as tasting "like a hug from Mama," it embodies his philosophy of simple, perfectly executed comfort food. While not a menu staple, his personal favorite, Spaghetti Bolognese, often prepared with delicate 'Engelshaar-Pasta' for a unique melt-in-the-mouth quality, reflects his belief that even the most unassuming dishes can deliver profound happiness when prepared with passion and precision. Ultimately, Del Fabro excels at presenting profound flavors with clarity and sophistication, often surprising guests with the sublime perfection of seemingly humble offerings, such as a perfectly prepared pasta.

Career

• Apprentice at Panoramahotel, Saarlouis
• Chef at Gourmetrestaurant Wein- & Tafelhaus Oos, Trittenheim
• Chef at Waldhotel Sonnora, Dreis
• Chef at Residenz bei Heinz Winkler, Aschau im Chiemgau
• Sous-Chef at Gästehaus Klaus Erfort, Saarbrücken
• Head Chef at ESPLANADE, Saarbrücken

Mentored by Heinz Winkler, Klaus Erfort.