Mandarin Grill’s newly appointed chef de cuisine whips up a 6-course degustation menu that harks back to the flavours and dishes that set him up for culinary stardom.
His English may not be his strong suit yet, but the boyish grin and Italian friendliness emanating from Chef Luigi Stinga is infectious, coming through in the dishes he'd prepared for us. Described as somewhat of a superstar on Mandarin Oriental KL’s team, his repertoire is sealed as a past protégé to Italian gastronomic whizzes like chef Antonio Guida, and at Michelin-starred restaurants including Seta, Restaurant Quattro Passi and Restaurant Piazza Duomo. He’s rather shy about that luminous background, but brims with excitement his first stint in Southeast Asia at Mandarin Grill KL.
A self-confessed meat 'whisperer,' chef Luigi decided to show us a more intimate side with a fish-themed menu. He’s also had some time to tinker with local spices and flavours with his kitchen crew, which subtly informs the classic Italian dishes he's introducing. “My menu is so different from what I’m used to: There’s cumin and aniseed, whereas before I use lots of fresh basil and oregano,” he let on.
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Each dish held a complexity of flavour to it, which chef Luigi elaborated further with personal anecdotals. Here’s what we tried: