Harry Style is in Italy, the news were not reported by the tabloids, but by chef Massimo Bottura. In fact, the known Modenese has posted a surprisingly detailed Instagram Story on the night of Friday 17th from his personal profile. On a clear sunny day, the British singer and the starred chef look friendly leaning on a car with a British license plate with the caption: “@harrystyles… pit stop in #osteriafrancescana and @casamarialuigia. Thanks my friend.” Harry Styles, sporting a 70s style look with a mustache and yellow frames, shows off the latest gift from his friend Bottura, his Bread is Gold book. The connection between the two talented creatives is apparent, an unexpected friendship blossoming across the music world and Italian cuisine. In April 2018, Harry Styles already dined at Osteria Francescana after his Bologna concert, and the following day he visited Generi Alimentari da Panino of Beppe Palmieri, the legendary maître and sommelier of Bottura.
We can only imagine Massimo Bottura explaining to Harry Styles the new menu of Osteria Francescana, based on the “With A Little Help From My Friends” concept. Every dish is inspired by a song or a verse of the iconic album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band of the Beatles, a band loved by both the chef and the former One Direction member, who has declared to be often inspired by Paul McCartney. The conversation possibly started off at the first appetizer, composed by three special macarons and called LSD, the same substance that Harry Style said to have taken to write his latest album, Fine Line. From Yellow Submarine (brill with potatoes, pineapple, daikon, and flowers) to Strawberry Fields (rice with strawberry gazpacho, Lambrusco wine, shrimp, smoked mozzarella and Sichuan pepper) to the ethereal In the Sky Without Lucy (roasted peaches, blueberries sauce, birch syrup, rosemary ice cream, rose meringue, cotton candy, and amaretti), the stellar menu of 13 courses becomes a gourmet concert exclusive of Casa Maria Luigia.
Villa Manodori also reports on Harry Styles’ Modena trip posting on their Instagram profile a picture of the 26-year-old carrying a small bottle of the precious balsamic vinegar produced in the XVI century property that Bottura personally committed to restore to its noble glory days. It was confirmed that the product gifted to the singer was Aceto Balsamico Dark Cherry Villa Manodori from the Aceto Balsamico e Olio Extra Vergine di Oliva collection of the Francescana group.
The beautiful historic mansion Villa Manodori is also available as a shooting location. Maybe Harry Styles Modena trips was concealing a top-secret photo shoot, possibly for Gucci? It wouldn’t be the first time that the singer visited Italy to work on the set of the Florentine brand for such as the Gucci Tailoring ad campaign shot at Villa Lante close to Viterbo in 2018 or Glen Luchford video for the Gucci Mémoire d’Une Odeur fragrance, shot in several locations in the Roman countryside, among the Canale Monterano ruins and the Montecalvello medieval castle.
Carrying in his hand a perfect product Italian craftsmanship such as balsamic vinegar of Modena and a convincing smile, Harry Styles could be a great food testimonial – even a supporter of our ambitious project to nominate Italy’s culinary tradition as UNESCO Cultural Heritage, isn’t it right chef Bottura?