Chef Massimo Bottura: Big Flavours And A Bigger Heart

From being called the crazy Italian breaking all rules, to being regarded as "maestro" almost overnight, Chef Massimo Bottura’s anecdotes are as captivating as his food. "Now, they don't consider me crazy. Even my government gave me a medal with ‘maestro’ [inscribed on it]," says an animated Bottura. 

When he started his restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena (Italy) in 1995, there were times when no one was listening to what Bottura had to say. The turning point came in 2000, when he started receiving awards. Gastronomic critics began to take notice of him. “But still, the locals and gourmets in general were looking at me diffidently. I had to show all the locals I could cook better than their grandmothers. When they understood that they took me very seriously,” says the celebrated chef in all earnestness. And finally, as Osteria Francescana started collecting Michelin stars (it has three stars to its credit) and Best Restaurant awards, all doubts were laid to rest. 

From Rule-Breaker To Maestro

The chef from Italy was in the capital for a two-day pop-up organised by Culinary Culture and The Leela Palace. So, does he still get nervous before a service. "Nervous, no. Butterflies, yes. If you don’t feel those butterflies, it's better you stop. We are cooking to fill your stomach we are cooking to fill your soul,” he says. His food is said to be legendary but what also stands out are the names of the dishes he creates. One of the most famous being a dessert named Oops I Dropped the Lemon Tart, which quite simply came up when one of the chefs dropped the dessert on the floor. The names, like the dishes themselves, carry an emotion. But Bottura's initial plan was to title the dishes as Untitled and let the guests interpret them in their own way. An idea that was deemed cold by his family and team after a discussion. And so, personal and a few quirky names were born out of incidents in the kitchen or inspired by other real-life events. "When I talk about The Crunchy Part of the Lasagna, I am talking about myself; when I was a kid, I was stealing the crunchy part before others, my brother and I would get into a fight," he recalls.  

Given that this was his seventh visit to India, Bottura is hardly a stranger to this country. Over the years, he has visited Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru and given these cities a taste of his culinary gift. “I have some very good friends here. If I come back [to a city] that means this is my very special place. There are few places in the world I want to go back to: One is New York–my home away from home, sometimes Tokyo, but India for sure.” When in India, he explores the town and eats almost everywhere, imbibing the culture, and understanding the myriad flavours this country has to offer.  

Bottura says that for his high-profile annual weekend in Casa Maria Luigia in Italy, he always invites Indian chefs. “Last year it was Prateek [Sadhu], this time Himanshu [Saini] is going to be there. I have those guys with me because I feel they can say something to the world. They are never nostalgic. They always look at the past in a critical way to get the best from the past of India to the future,” says Bottura, affirming that this is what he believes in too. “Nostalgia can sometimes make you feel good, but it doesn't evolve. You need to evolve, be contemporary. I love that.”

Cooking With Memory

Known as much for his philanthropy as his culinary prowess, Bottura started Food for Soul in 2015. The not-for-profit organisation works on transforming surplus food into high-quality meals. From Paris to Sydney, Food for Soul now has 12 refettorio projects across nine countries and four continents, with the next one opening in Nairobi, Africa. In connection with his efforts to battle food waste, the UN Environment Programme appointed him as a UN Goodwill Ambassador in 2020. A post he still holds and a platform he uses to talk about his cause and social change. With this role, he says, "there is more power, more credibility, more responsibility as everyone is watching you." 

Beyond The Restaurant

If there is something Bottura wants to be remembered for, it is this social projects. "They are the consequence of all the success I have. I keep asking myself questions. What do I need? Do I need another car? Another apartment? No. I need to give back," he says. He sees the positive influence he has on his chefs. One of his chefs, Jessica Rosval, co-founded AIW (Association for Integration of Women) and Roots Modena, the latter is a social organisation that gives professional training to migrant women and helps them with kitchen placements. "They are inducting single mothers from north and central Africa, Philippines, and South America and teaching them how to work in a kitchen. These women have jobs now," says an elated Bottura. 

The superstar chef is also building a beautiful campus for his team near Casa Mara Luigia. He wants them to stay together and experience the countryside, so they can tell everybody what it means to live there. With so much on his plate, how does he get time to ideate and come up with ideas. Bottura smiles, "There is no time, space, or hour for creativity. It could be when I am driving and stop for gas... It's not about where but about how."