Hailing all the way from Southern Italy, Patrizia Battolu’s passion for the culinary arts and her strong curiosity have taken her on a culinary journey around the globe, and finally led her to be the new head of Cucina’s culinary team at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort.
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by Runi Indrani
E: How did you first get into the culinary world?
A: I was born and raised in Southern Italy in a family that’s really passionate about food diversity. I have been refining my cooking skills since I was 14 years old. My sense of curiosity has fuelled a journey of discovering new ingredients and local flavours from around the world. For example, my favourite tropical fruit is mangosteen, and I discovered this back in Rome simply out of curiosity.
E: Where has your passion taken you so far?
A: For the past decade I lived in China and Thailand, before finally deciding to start a new adventure in Bali.
E: What do you like so much about travelling?
A: I love exploring traditional markets, as I believe it is the best way to learn about the people of a particular region, the way of living, as well as discovering new ingredients. My passion and curiosity have also led me to learn more about why people have food restrictions, and, by extension, to explore the best ways to accommodate these different preferences and needs.
E: You are now the head of Cucina’s culinary team. Can you tell us more about the appointment?
A: I am from Southern Italy, and I feel like my heritage is aligned with the concept of Cucina, which serves Italian-Mediterranean cuisines, as well as showcasing an interior design that is inspired by the vibrant natural scenery of Amalfi on the southwest coast of Italy. I hope becoming the head of Cucina’s culinary team, and having a woman in a leadership position, can go hand in hand with Accor’s commitment to a more inclusive and diverse workplace.
E: What plans do you have in store for Cucina moving forward?
A: My primary objectives are to lead and inspire the team to be creative and innovative in serving guests a vast selection of fine delicacies starring fresh local ingredients and authentic Italian flavours. I will still explore Italian-Mediterranean cuisines, while adapting to the local culture and taste buds. The key element in Italian food is, I believe, the locally sourced ingredients that need to be fresh and of good quality. For Cucina, I always try to source everything from the locals. It’s more important to have fresh ingredients rather than imported, preserved ones. Also, sourcing locally is a responsible thing to do to help the community.
E: Can you share who you are outside the kitchen?
A: I like to say I’m a caring, passionate and energetic person. I enjoy reading books and travel in my spare time. I’m also an art enthusiast. I also have an interesting quirk, where I can determine the standard and quality of the food to be served just by looking at the consistency and by smelling it. I have a very sensitive sense of smell, which has become my guide on whether flavour adjustment is needed or not, especially during busy operations.
Tortelli di Granchio al Taleggio
INGREDIENTS
Pasta
- 300g flour
- 100g semolina
- 100g cooked spinach, drained
- 1 egg
Stuffing
- 350g crab meat
- 20g red onion, diced
- 10ml white wine
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- 50g parmesan
- 30g breadcrumbs
Sauce
- 100g taleggio
- 60g parmesan
- 150ml fresh cream
METHOD
- For the pasta, mix flour with semolina, add egg, mix well with hands. Squeeze all excess water out of the spinach, add to the dough and mix well. Shape the dough into tortelli shells.
- For the stuffing, sauté crab meat with red onion, add white wine and a pinch of salt and pepper. Lasty, add parmesan and breadcrumbs. Stir well.
- For the sauce, cook taleggio, parmesan and fresh cream over medium heat, stirring until thickened.
- Stuff the tortelli shells with the stuffing, pour the sauce on top, and serve.
SERVES 6
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort
ITDC
Bali 80363, Indonesia
T: (+62) 3618492888
