Just like its English equivalent ‘taste’, the Italian term ‘gusto’ packs a double meaning. It is cultured discernment, that effortless instinct for placing the right chair, or word, or color, in just the right place. It is also one of our five senses – more than any other, that which brings us such pleasure at the dinner table.
Passalacqua’s world of design endeavors to combine discernment with delight. So too does its world of food, fine wine and cocktails. The key to the mix is simply stated: respect for good, fresh, seasonal ingredients, respect for time-honored recipes and traditions, and a belief in the richness of simplicity.
Perhaps the most important member of the entourage that would accompany noble Italian dynasties on their seasonal migration from city house to country retreat was the family cook, or cuoco di casa. Trained in the art of culinary excellence, this figure, loved by all, was also well-attuned to personal tastes and preferences, with a range that extended from perfect scrambled eggs to the menu for a gala banquet.
One of Italy’s most celebrated chefs, Viviana Varese is Passalacqua’s cuoca di casa. Crowning a trajectory that led her from her family’s seafood trattoria on the Amalfi Coast to her own Michelin-starred restaurant in Milan, Viviana has enthusiatically embraced the De Santis family’s desire to revive the great tradition of alta cucina di casa: refined home cooking.
One of the small joys of country house life is wandering into the kitchen, helping yourself to a tempting snack, striking up a conversation, getting involved in the baking or the pasta-making. Passalacqua’s open kitchen is yours, to learn in and to linger in. So too is our snug and stylish bar, which celebrates northern Italy’s vibrant cocktail and aperitivo scene and the gentle art of conversation.
