From the first steps into darkness as chefs specialized in cooking lake fish, to two Michelin stars, thanks to the re discovery and development of the Sabino territory, never abandoned
“A beautiful place, pleasant”: this is how Sando Serva defines Rivodutri, the place that acts as a frame for his restaurant, Sandro Serva is one of the two famous chefs that together with his brother Maurizio has made the centre of Rieti the place to be for fine or more demanding palates, or even for the simply curious. The family started the activity 54 years ago cooking what was offered by the lake, throwing the daily catches in the pan. Only in the years to come the sweet water fish will transform from a need into an instrument of research and studies, thanks to the two brothers that stop observing from their “highchairs” and start to come up with new ways to reinvent cooking. From then it has always been this way: the lake fish is a difficult product, says the chef, especially when approaching clients with more known flavors, more noble products like lobster. Because of this the art to make a cod fish or pike a noble thing is even more worth attention; even the preparation and cooking take knowledge and respect of the ingredient, that even coming from a “poor” background, has it’s revenge thanks to the Serva brothers.
“Un elemento imprescindibile della nostra cucina è la stagionalità e la capacità di abbinare prodotti a chilometro zero, tali da esaltare l’essenza del territorio e aiutare a scoprire, attraverso il cibo, sapori e colori nuovi della terra come ad esempio il crescione di sorgente, il prodotto inedito della cucina de La Trota.”
– Sandro Serva –
A herb that reminds you of the bitter taste of horseradish and that can be found only in the most pure spring waters, only 200 metres away from the restaurant, this gives refinement and a special kick to the dish. Their struggle starts in the 90’s when the Serva brothers start the restaurant, supported by their parents, “sometimes even with anger” they start to make this project a reality, none of this without hard work and some occasional punch in the face from some clients that consider the lake fish an inferior product. Today the Serva kitchen, composed of 9 people, literally takes the client by hand and guides him through a path of good food with no secrets and surrounded by a familiar atmosphere that is always good for the heart. From Expo to Hong Kong, starting in Tokyo in January and then New York in the first quarter of 2016: this is the path of the two chefs that are ready to create for whoever wants their professionalism in preparation and management of this particular ingredient that is sweet water fish. The work and research of new sources of inspiration takes them around the world, but in a sense ties them even more into the gastronomic region they know. A part from Rivodutri, beloved territory, the Serva brothers aim for another region, maybe Sardinia, but not without discovering the food traditions of the area. If they really will open their second restaurant on the island, it surely will be an amazing place!
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