The New Renaissance of Italian Fusion Cuisine 1.0

The New Renaissance of Italian Fusion Cuisine 1.0, a unique compilation of great masterpieces, created with care by the chef, gathering influences and a fusion of cultures from around the world, having as a base Italian Cuisine.

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The book is a perfect balance, as are his dishes, of history, techniques, colors, flavors, sensations and textures; blending Classic Italian Michelin cuisine with modern fusions, old basic techniques with modern cutting edge tools and equipment. All this results from his journeys and culinary adventures in every continent.

The book has been reviewed with highest rates by: Rasegna Culinaria Magazine (Milano, Italy), Culinary Trends (UK), Living in Style Magazine (UK), Chiarini was featured as Star chef in the jet set magazine 8 (Thamāniya), from Saudi Arabia. This magazine is the exclusive property of Princess Amira al-Taweel and the Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, and the chef is being featured this January 2011, as starred chef for his activities in the Middle East and his book. Recently Visitvineyards.com the food+wine+travel authority of Australia has rated chef Gianfranco’s book at the top 12 best culinary books of that continent, sharing the first place with NOMA restaurant (Best restaurant of the world, by San Pellegrino).

About the book.

The book is divided into 11 different parts; the five main ones contain recipes, where Chef Gianfranco fuses Italian culinary creativity with the beauty of foreign lands. Some of the countries whose culinary traditions are fused into this book are: Japan, England, France, Poland, Korea, Venezuela, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Kuwait, Lebanon, South Africa, Ghana, and Spain, to name just a few.

Why fuse something so untouchable as Italian cuisine with that of other cultures?

Chef Gianfranco says in his own words, “In my culinary journeys through six continents I noticed the similarities in family values, passion for things, and the everyday shared situations in and out of the kitchen and at mealtimes, between these other lands and my native Italy. I later realized that most basic elements like eggs, flour, tomatoes, herbs; meats, fish and more are just the same staples as for the basic Italian cuisine.

These facts drove me to understand that Italian culinary heritage is indeed the result of 3000 years of cultural exchange and fusions in eating habits due to invasions of Italy and those made from the Roman Empire to the rest of the world. Therefore it is impossible to believe that any contemporary culinary culture is 100% pure and untouched. We all are the result of fusions”

The purpose of the book:

The purpose of this book is initially to offer a tribute to the ebb and flow of culinary influences between Italy and the rest of the world. An additional purpose is to present the new classics of Italian cuisine, as Chef Gianfranco has noticed how Italian food has enjoyed a great deal of popularity throughout the years, but recently has stagnated.

Other countries like Belgium, Holland, England and Spain, this last one with the Molecular trend, all have undergone a quest for renovation and innovation, while Italy and France, the two culinary colossi of Europe, have been sitting on their glorious past without reinventing their cuisine.

“I feel like a pioneer in a new quest for the renaissance of Italian cuisine,” says Chef Gianfranco. “There are great chefs in Italy still striving to break out of the box and to bring new trends into our cuisine, but they have chosen to stay in Italy. I left and travelled the world to gather and understand the differences and similarities. It is time for a radical change,” says the Chef.

Therefore the other main purpose of this book is to awaken and move the new generations of chefs to understand that ‘status quo’ and ‘comfort zone’ are often detrimental to the art, the mind and the soul.

The target:

The target of this culinary masterpiece is very eclectic. The book targets initially chefs of all levels, as it is a wake-up call for culinary fusion between cultures, to make bigger and better world cuisine. It also will be appealing to hobby chefs and foodies, due to the beauty and fantasy of these recipes to be enjoyed at family gatherings; these enthusiasts will take pride in executing top restaurant- and Michelin-level cuisine right at home.

Another important group is food engineers and food technicians, due to some of the cutting-edge techniques, ingredients and applications executed in this book in combination with real cooking.

Yet another group could be photographers and food stylists, due to the quality of the pictures and the absolute non-use of special effects and artificial materials, only fresh food being used in the making of these recipes.

And last but not at least, cookbook collectors and historians, who will be fascinated by the food archeology presented in this book. It considers the influences and transformations from the Roman Empire to modern times. They will also enjoy the uniqueness of the volume and the charm of the chef’s personal touch. It is a deluxe limited edition and the first part of a trilogy.

The first book called “The Emerald Book” will be officially launched in 2011, (although it is for sale right away, due to the demand for the holidays and seasons of the up coming December).

The second book (“The Pearl Book”) to be launched in 2012, and finally the third book (“The Ruby Book”) to be launched in 2013. All will be collectibles that at the end of the three years will proudly display “La tricolore” flag of Italy on the collector’s shelf. All part of a trilogy entitled: “The Culinary Jewels of the New Renaissance of Italy”

NOTE: Only 2000 copies of every color will be printed worldwide. These are special deluxe editions, and the chef cares passionately about quality and not quantity. Therefore remember every copy is a true jewel.

Each book will be personally autographed and dedicated by the hand of the chef, and delicately wrapped in onion paper and finally wax sealed with the sun symbol of the Renaissance of Italy, as a mark of distinction, when purchased directly through him.

When the book is purchased through Blurb, it will be of the same great quality, but the autograph from the chef will not be there, nor the special packaging. But you can follow the chef’s pages linked below and connect to him. You can follow the chef and catch him in his book signature and culinary shows around the world, where he will be delighted to sign your book in person.

*** Rated amongst the best culinary books for 2011 by Rasegna Culinaria & Culinary Trends magazines. And in Australia sharing the first place with NOMA restaurant of the top 12 best cook books of 2010.

Click here to see the reviews: http://tinyurl.com/24oof9t

This is how the book was done, pure and without pretensions, demanding without perfectionism. Only the best products and the best fusion ideas. A tribute from the world to Italian cuisine, and from Italy to the world. Enjoy it!

And do not forget to visit the Chefs web page at: http://www.executivechefgianfrancochiarini.com

Or if you want to become a fan of his culinary face book page, click on: http://tinyurl.com/brc9vz

Chef. Gianfranco’s Michelin rated book has been successfully launched and it is for sale worldwide through the following sites:

PURCHASE THE WHOLE BOOK HERE:

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1658620

PURCHASE THE ECONOMICAL SMALL E-BOOKS HERE:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Chef_Gianfranco_Chiarini

Classic Italian Culinary Courses with Chef. Gianfranco Chiarini – Basic Course 1 of 10

Well dear followers, colleagues, friends and family, here we are.

After a successful Spring cooking where we mastered the art of
regional, seasonal and exotic products as well as useful techniques, we
are ready to start a very self indulging course. Classic Italian
Culinary Courses with Chef Gianfranco the number 1 of a series of 10.

After these Classic courses we will have a new line of 10 courses
featuring Southern Italian Cuisine and then 10 more courses featuring
Northern Italian cuisine, a total of 30 all together.

These
later courses will be based on physical recipes from our Italian
regions. But there’s nothing you’ll be able to do with those courses if
you do not master first the basics and deep grounds of the millenary
cuisine of my country.

Like I always tell to my
students…first put the underwear and then the pants; only Superman
looks cool the other way around, cause he is a super hero. We have to
go by the book, therefore first the basics and then you’ll learn how to
fly.

Now remember, I am sure some or most of you have learned
Italian Cuisine from the wrong chef or from a wanna be Italian Chef;
and that’s why I am sure also that some or most of the applications and
methods here will look brand new to you. But trust me, I will teach
you the right way to start any sauce, any soup, any roast or anything
related to one of the most luxurious, and at the same time popular
cuisine of all. And for those of you who think that Italian cuisine is
only Pizza or Pasta you’d be wrong again.

In my country we
have more than 2500 recognized starters from all regions and products,
pastas, sauces, fish, meats, poultry, hunting and game, fruit,
desserts, baking preparations, breads, cheeses, and wines. And don’t
get me started with the DOP, DOCP and DOC products that vary not only
from region to region but moreover from town to town. Remember Italy
have the diversity of land that enables us to produce an endless
universe of food and preparations.

Therefore get ready for a
little journey to the Basics of Italian cuisine. On this course we will
also see and understand what the above mentioned DOP, DOCP and DOC
products are.

Well!! with no further due. Welcome to the
Classic Italian Culinary Courses with Chef. Gianfranco Chiarini – Basic
Course 1 of 10

IL SOFFRITTO

Or
best and most popularly known in French as: THE MIREPOIX.

Un
buon Soffritto – A good basic Mirepoix.

Let’s first get the
basic concepts clear.

Mirepoix: Is the French name for a
combination of onions, carrots, and celery (either common pascal celery
or celeriac). Mirepoix, either raw, roasted or sautéed with butter is
the flavor base for a wide number of dishes, such as stocks, soups,
stews and sauces.

The three ingredients are commonly referred
to as aromatics. But although the French terminology is the culinary
trend to follow we in Italy used this basic technique centuries ago and
it’s called Soffritto.

The Italian version of mirepoix is
called soffritto (not to be confused with sofrito). It is made with
olive oil rather than butter, and may also contain garlic, fennel,
leek, and herbs.

Another useful concept can be:

A
mirepoix is a finely diced mixture of; carrot, celery and onion. It is
often sweated off in the first stages of a recipe to enhance the flavor
of sauces, soups, stews and numerous other dishes.

Although
usually finely diced, some recipes, such as a stock recipe might call
for, ‘mirepoix roughly chopped’ in this case it simply refers to the
three vegetables of carrot, celery and onion. ‘Mirepoix au gras’ is
simply mirepoix with meat and usually refers to the addition of bacon
or ham.

Now let’s
get down to business.

As we mentioned before, Mirepoix is one
of the simplest food preparations in the world – a combination of
celery, carrot and onion. That’s all. However, this "holy trinity" is
an essential ingredient in dozens, if not hundreds, of traditional
Italian and French dishes, and knowing what it is and how to make it is
essential.

So don’t underestimate this great basic ground of
Continental Culinary.

Basic Mirepoix Recipe

250 gms = 1
c. diced white onion
120 gms = 1/2 c. diced carrot
120 gms = 1/2
c. diced celery

When dicing the separate ingredients, try to
make the dices as small and uniform as possible, both because it is
aesthetically more pleasing and because the small pieces will cook more
uniformly.

First, prepare the vegetables: rinse them from all
possible dirt, peel the skins, and then start to chop them into smaller
blocks. The more fine-chopped vegetables are, the quicker they will
release their flavors. Bear in mind that the sizes of the vegetables
should be fairly similar, since you already should have designed the
relative proportions of each ingredient in the mirepoix. So, the
proportions should determine the final flavor of the mirepoix, and not
randomly chopped vegetables.

You should also adapt the size of
the vegetables to the kind of dish you are making. So, for example if
you have a stew that is simmering for a few hours then your mirepoix
cuts can be bigger. If you have marinades to work with, make smaller
dices of the vegetables.

Common combinations of ingredients for
a basic mirepoix were mentioned above. If you want to have a white
mirepoix, you can instead combine 2 parts onion, 1 part celery, and 1
part of carrots.

To cook the mirepoix, put some olive oil in a
moderately hot pot, and add the onions.

Let them sweat for a
little while, then add the carrots, and lastly, after a few more
minutes, add the celery. This sequence is important from the required
time of cooking point of view.

Remember not to overheat the
veggies or they’ll get brown. The point here is just to sweat them -
this is when they release their juices into the oil. You can also
smother the mirepoix if you want, even in an oven (smothering means
simply that you put a lid on top of the pot, so the veggies get sweated
and steamed at the same time). As you can see, this basic mirepoix is
actually a basis for lots of recipes – how often haven’t you sweated
onions and other vegetables before blending in other, main ingredients?

Mirepoix can also be used in other situations, that is added
directly to a simmering stew, just to give an example.

Now,
once the veggies are softened and sweated, you can add (optional) the
tomato paste and cook the mirepoix until it becomes caramelized
(browned) and the tomato paste becomes stiffer. Then, use the mirepoix
in whatever way the dish requires.

But remember hold your
horses. First master this and then we move into the next step to be
seen at the 2nd course. See you then and let me know how it went.

Culinary regards.
Chef. Gianfranco Chiarini.

For those who
are not in our culinary club, follow me also in Facebook by clicking
this link:


http://tinyurl.com/brc9vz

EXECUTIVE CHEF. GIANFRANCO CHIARINI’S OFFICIAL WEB PAGE / PAGINA WEB OFICIAL DEL CHEF EJECUTIVO. GIANFRANCO CHIARINI.

Executive and Corporate Celebrity Chef Gianfranco Chiarini has been involved with Multi-Continental Cuisine, culinary and scientific research for new gastronomic trends, molecular analysis, classic Michelin cuisine, food analysis, and design and development of exciting new culinary concepts. He networks closely with worldwide consultancy chefs.

From Italian origins he grew up in Venezuela and the U.S. and later decided to join the Instituto de Alta Gastronomia de Caracas in the early 90s, from where he graduated as an International Chef.

Later he returned to the United States and graduated with a master’s degree from the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute. In Paris, France, he attended the Cordon Bleu, earning his Master Culinary Chef’s degree. And in Italy he earned the honorable membership of Executive Chefs of La Gran Accademia della Cucina Italiana.

He has worked under great chefs around Europe and trained to Michelin standards in Italy and France.

He has also been directly involved in the management, menu designing, prototype and product development, as well as the opening, of luxury Hotels, Culinary Centers and many restaurants in the U.S.A., Venezuela, the Caribbean, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Dubai, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Turkey.

He is also a celebrity TV Chef in the Middle East for the regional and multi-national broadcasting Alrai TV. His cooking shows were featured all over the Middle East, Gulf countries and North African Arabic-speaking countries.

Chef Chiarini made a major career change in 2009, by moving away from Michelin restaurants and Luxury hotel operations into the massive food manufacturing industry. He was offered an unmissable job opportunity with the giant international starches manufacturer for the food ingredients industry, National Starch Food Innovation.

In this new position he serves as National Starch Food Innovation’s Europe, Africa and Middle East Corporate Executive Chef and Culinary Development Leader, creating new culinary concepts by utilizing his vast culinary expertise on six continents, for manufacturing companies around the world.

http://www.executivechefgianfrancochiarini.com

Executive Chef. Gianfranco Chiarini

Celebrity Chef Gianfranco Chiarini

About the Chef

Executive and Corporate Celebrity Chef Gianfranco Chiarini has been involved with Multi-Continental Cuisine, culinary and scientific research for new gastronomic trends, molecular analysis, classic Michelin cuisine, food analysis, and design and development of exciting new culinary concepts. He networks closely with worldwide consultancy chefs.

From Italian origins he grew up in Venezuela and the U.S. and later decided to join the Instituto de Alta Gastronomia de Caracas in the early 90s, from where he graduated as an International Chef.

Later he returned to the United States and graduated with a master’s degree from the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute. In Paris, France, he attended the Cordon Bleu, earning his Master Culinary Chef’s degree. And in Italy he earned the honorable membership of Executive Chefs of La Gran Accademia della Cucina Italiana.

He has worked under great chefs around Europe and trained to Michelin standards in Italy and France.

He has also been directly involved in the management, menu designing, prototype and product development, as well as the opening, of luxury Hotels, Culinary Centers and many restaurants in the U.S.A., Venezuela, the Caribbean, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Holland, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Dubai, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Turkey.

He is also a celebrity TV Chef in the Middle East for the regional and multi-national broadcasting Alrai TV. His cooking shows were featured all over the Middle East, Gulf countries and North African Arabic-speaking countries.

Chef Chiarini made a major career change in 2009,  by moving away from Michelin restaurants and Luxury hotel operations into the massive food manufacturing industry. He was offered an unmissable job opportunity with the giant international starches manufacturer for the food ingredients industry, National Starch Food Innovation.

In this new position he serves as National Starch Food Innovation’s Europe, Africa and Middle East Corporate Executive Chef and Culinary Development Leader, creating new culinary concepts by utilizing his vast culinary expertise on six continents, for manufacturing companies around the world.

(For confidentiality agreement reasons such companies cannot and must not be named here).

Chef Gianfranco Chiarini speaks 7 languages, and despite his responsibilities as a Corporate Chef, he still remains linked to the glamorous world of haute cuisine. In fact he is publishing the first cookbook of a unique trilogy, entitled: The New Renaissance of Italian Fusion Cuisine 1.0, a beautiful compilation of great masterpieces, created with care by the chef, gathering influences and a fusion of cultures from around the world, having as a base Italian Cuisine.

The book is a perfect balance, as are his dishes, of history, techniques, colors, flavors, sensations and textures; blending Classic Italian Michelin cuisine with modern fusions, old basic techniques with modern cutting edge tools and equipment. All this results from his journeys and culinary adventures in every continent.