We tasted Baronetto’s dishes celebrating 260 years of Del Cambio

Decanting is important. Without decantation there’s no such thing as tradition. Behind the doors at number 2 Piazza Carignano time has passed swiftly, decanting the culinary traditions and habits of posh Torino. During the 260 years of Del Cambio’s existence (since the 5th October 1757 when they allowed the construction of the now historic building) the world has changed. And the restaurant industry too.

Yet in Piazza Carignano over the past three years it is the intersection of past and present in a temporal “paradox” interpreted by Matteo Baronetto that has given new shine to the rooms, philologically renovated (where possible) with touches of avantgarde. 

This is why even the “menu manifesto” of Torinese Baronetto, with which they officially launched celebrations for the 260th anniversary, needed time for decanting. The menu designed by the chef who has been running the kitchen in the renewed historic restaurant is a journey in the past as well as a visionary trip to the future. Eleven dishes – for better or for worse – marked by precise culinary periods presented in two versions, the historic one, and the one “reviewed” by Baronetto: typically Eighties’ Penne cream and salmon, a classic like Cotoletta alla milanese, Cavour’s beloved Finanziera, Veal in tuna sauce: the chef who trained with Carlo Cracco separates ingredients and cooking procedures so as to reach a different and minimalist final assemblage.

«This menu is important both for restaurant Del Cambio which turns 260, and for me, given the opportunity I had to contribute in trying to make this place special, something which is not as easy as one might think – says the chef – I’m grateful to those who handed me this space, which I always tried to interpret through a paradox, in coherence with Pistoletto’s renovation of the room of mirrors. I worked with contaminations». These are represented, among other things, by the marinated egg yolk livening up the Prawns in cocktail sauce, or the amaranth breading for the raw meat in Cotoletta alla milanese or by not using coffee in the Bonèt morbido e cremoso.

Torta 1757 by pastry chef Fabrizio Galla and available from Farmacia del Del Cambio completes the menu. In the shape of a wheel, it recalls the wagons that use to cross Piazza Carignano. It has a biscuit base, and is covered with caramelised sugar. As for the dough, almonds, hazelnuts and chocolate are mixed with the citrus notes of yuzu.

Of course bar Cavour was involved too and gave a new take on Americano called “260”, by barman Marco Ciminnisi. It has Bitter Campari, orange zest, vacuum cooked juniper berries, sweet vermouth fat washed with chocolate, soda with camomile and dehydrated orange with lemon essential oil and sugar.