Acclaimed chef revamps Italian menu at Bacci

Alejandro Martinez Gaudiano has revamped the menu to include Italian specialties such as spaghetti alla pescatora, cappellini con astice and wild mushroom risotto.

To coincide with his arrival, the restaurant, part of Fairmont Southampton Resort, has launched a take-out service, Bacci-to-Go.

Mr. Gaudiano joins Bacci as a sous chef from Poggio alla Sala, a four-star resort in Montepulciano, Italy, where he managed a Tuscan trattoria and fine dining restaurant.

Cuisine

He was formerly the sous chef with Villa Il Patriarca, a Michelin-star restaurant in Val Di Chiana, Italy, where he managed the restaurant, banqueting and catering.

At Bacci he will develop the Fairmont Southampton’s Italian cuisine, specializing in both northern and southern dishes.

Mr. Gaudiano, 34, started his career as a chef in 1993 and has worked in France, Argentina, Italy and with the Disney and Radisson Cruise Lines.

He said: “I am so happy to share my knowledge of Italian cuisine with the chefs and staff here at Bacci.

“Everyone here is dedicated to serving genuine Italian dishes to our customers and I am excited to add my own perspective to make it truly special.

“I was looking for a change in my career after spending the last 10 years in Italy, so I am excited to bring what I have learnt to this restaurant.”

Mr. Gaudiano said 14 dishes have been changed on the main menu “to make it as Italian as possible”. He added: “The main difference is in the north they use a lot of butter and from mid-Italy to the south they use more olive oil.

“I have tried to keep these types of cuisines as pure as possible.

“At Bacci we try to keep the dishes as simple as possible to enhance the flavours and make them as true to Italian cuisine as possible.”

Bacci reopened at the weekend after a two-week break, during which the new cuisine was developed.

Saturday also marked the launch of Bacci-to-Go. Mr. Gaudiano said the take-out meals would be prepared with the same care as those in the restaurant.

He added: “I’ve developed a series of dishes that people can take away, without compromising quality.

“There are about 20 dishes which can be prepared in 15 to 20 minutes.

“We want people to experience what we do in the relaxed ambience of their home.”

Norman Mastalir, managing director of Fairmont Hotels Bermuda, said: “At Bacci we pride ourselves in offering truly authentic Italian cuisine and Alejandro’s extensive experience in Italian kitchens will ensure that we continue to bring this experience to our customers.”