Andrea Miacola, born in 1987, Chef and Co-owner of La Ripa Restaurant has nourished his passion for cooking since he helped his grandmother in the kitchen.

After obtaining the first certificate at the Hotel Institute Enrico Mattei in Vieste, he subsequently perfected true Italian cuisine by attending the Alma international school of Guartiero Marchesi in Colorno.

Tradition and innovation are always found in Chef Andrea's dishes, in fact the most important cooking rules declare to have learned them within the home walls of the grandmother.

 

“Still today when I am faced with difficulties or pressures I think of his suggestions. "

 

The first training experience was the Del Cambio restaurant in Turin and subsequently by great star chefs such as Carlo Cracco in Milan and by Massimiliano Alajmo in Padova, in "Restaurant Le Calandre".

"Every chef I worked for has contributed to my growth and has given me emotions that are reflected in the key ingredient that I then use in my dishes. I think of Cracco for his vision of an elegant and fine cuisine, or of Alajmo for the vaporized aromas ... "

 

After a few years in Venice, Andrea decided to make the leap abroad. In Portugal at the "Restaurant Villa Joya" restaurant by chef Dieter Koshina he learned local dishes very similar as physiognomy to the Italian tradition, but at the same time completely different; he knows them ingredients such as Percebes, Chayote and Anona.

The latter fruit inspires him for the dish that led him to be the finalist in the Portugal section at San Pellegrino Young Chef 2015, the dessert Fresh Anona, white coffee ice cream, coconut and Schmand (Annona fresh, white coffee ice cream, coconut and smetana).

 

"The drive was given by the desire to know and explore ... a bit like Marco Polo when he discovered new perfumes in China! Each workplace corresponds to a stage in my life that has trained me professionally: I always put myself into play and take inspiration from all the advice I receive. Listening is the best way to grow and get new ideas. "

 

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The next step was to land in Holland and work in Zwolle at chef De Jonnie Boer De Librije Restaurant. He found a different country and way of life, full of stimuli in every respect.

 

"Taken by the enthusiasm, I embraced culture, tastes and lifestyle habits like a child in front of the entrance to a playground. In Holland I found exquisite and helpful people. "

 

Thanks to Chef Jonnie Boer and his kitchen he discovers fermented, the use of the tulip in the kitchen, the Big Green Egg (a ceramic barbecue, ed) ...the collection of spices, the use of aromatic herbs and vegetables grown by himself, the combination of shellfish and meat.

 

Parallel to the experience at De Librije, the idea was born to present the dish with which Andrea participated in the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 semifinal for Benelux, in Antwerp. Carmagnola gray rabbit in tom kha flavor, tulips and Vesuvian tomato boullion (Carmagnola rabbit flavored with tom kha, tulips and Vesuvius tomato boullon, ed).

This dish was born from the desire to enhance two Italian Slow Food products such as the gray Carmagnola rabbit and the Vesuvian tomato. Interpreted in a Thai way, with galangal, kaffir lime, turmeric, coconut and coriander, chosen to bring a flavor of earth (the rabbit) to one of water, that of marinated oysters. Then spicy blueberries, Joselito patanegra, seaweed tempura, marinated shiso, peanuts with Thai green curry: these are the garnishes that give the dish contrasts of texture, sweetness, flavor and spiciness. Tulips are the crunchy and preserved element that best represent Andrea and his experience in Holland.

 

Andrea thus enters the final San Pellegrino Young Chef 2016 in Milan.

“It's a matter of personal pride, because I wouldn't have bet a penny on it! But maybe I should start to believe more in myself and overcome my shyness. I see my life as a mix of spices, an explosion of emotions that the people around me give me "

 

Happy with the experience of the SPYC competition, Andrea makes another leap forward and moves to Copenhagen in Denmark, where he becomes Ambassador of Italian cuisine abroad collaborating for two years at the Era-Ora restaurant for over twenty years Michelin star. The rediscovery of Italian ingredients of excellence Andrea is faced with one of the largest collections of Italian wines in Europe and is increasingly beginning to get passionate about food-wine pairings, increasing his Italian gastronomic and wine culture more and more.

 

Andrea participates for the third consecutive year in the San Pellegrino Young Chef. This time dressing the Danish jacket in the Baltic Area and Scandinavian section. In Stockholm, Andrea won second place with the Roasted Quail, Hazelnut cream, Polignano Carrot Bouillon dish. The choice of ingredients stems from the desire to make known the minerality of Polignano carrot to a Nordic jury.

 

The rediscovery of Italian ingredients leads him more and more to want to go home to the beautiful Vieste to start a new project that will lead him to take over the family restaurant in order to better express himself.