Massimo Bottura – voted twice as one of “The World's 50 Best Restaurants” with his restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena – makes more than just tortellini and crispy lasagna. Although his mission is to preserve and reinvent Italian cuisine, this does not mean he’s locked into tradition in any way. He’s always kept tradition about “10 km away,” as he so often has repeated, and by now, perhaps even thousands of km away from his hometown of Modena.
How do you make a hamburger like the most famous chef in Italy (and the most famous Italian chef in the world)? The burger itself is made of Chianina beef and cotechino meat, layered with parmesan cheese, a green sauce made with parsley, anchovies and capers, and a mayonnaise with a balsamic vinegar glaze. All the flavors are mixed in umami harmony: "On the palate, the taste is perfect,” confesses Bottura regarding the Emilia Burger. The idea for the burger was born a few years ago as a result of his collaboration with the American chain Shake Shack for the New York marathon – as a way to bring “Italianness” to the center of the Big Apple, as it is today with the new opening of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Beverly Hills. But Emilia Burger is also served at Franceschetta 58 (the group's trattoria in Modena) and Gucci Osteria in Florence – featured as an iconic dish in which the concepts of boundaries, belonging and tradition are redefined.
(ph courtesy Max Siedentopf for Gucci Osteria)
Bringing the world to Italy
Gucci Osteria in Florence, opened in 2018 on the ground floor of the Palazzo della Mercanzia – which houses the Gucci Garden, the maison's historical archive, a museum space and a boutique – earned its first Michelin star in the 2020 guide. The menu is entitled "Come into the world with us" and apart from the Tortellini with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream, the menu is a succession of international inspirations: Caesar Salad all'emiliana, Hot Dog di Chianina, Taka Buns (steamed bao buns with pork belly) and the inevitable Emilia Burger. In the kitchen, chef Ana Karime Lopez Kondo, Mexican by origin – and she was hired for a reason. As Bottura himself stated at the restaurant’s inauguration, "The restaurant helps us remember that Florence has always been a center of cultural exchange – especially during the Renaissance.”
(ph courtesy Max Siedentopf for Gucci Osteria)
Bringing Italy into the world
Gucci Osteria by Massimo Bottura Beverly Hills has opened its doors on the roof of the Gucci store on Rodeo Drive. In the kitchen is Mattia Agazzi, who recently moved to Los Angeles after working as a sous chef for Karime in Italy. Agazzi brought with him his creative vision that he shares with Massimo and Karime in order to realize that dream on the California coast. The menu is deeply Italian, inspired by the international careers of the three chefs and their travels to discover different culinary traditions and their passion for art and music. It includes signature dishes, such as the inevitable Tortellini and new dishes inspired by California and of course, the Emilia Burger.
For such a special burger – and the opening of the Gucci Osteria in Los Angeles – an entire campaign was created by Max Siedentopf (photographer, art director and artist) who curated these shots.
(ph courtesy Max Siedentopf for Gucci Osteria)