Romagnoli on the run
Chef Jacopo Romagnoli, who works at Café de la Plage, shakes up the walls of Geneva’s Grand Théâtre with his sentimental, emotional cuisine, much to the delight of gourmets.
Mr Romagnoli, Jacopo by name… what can I say! As I write these few lines, I realize the full extent of his undeniable talent. It’s sometimes so difficult to find the right words, the right phrases, the right sequences, in order to convey what a kitchen is expressing as realistically as possible. Thanks to a few epistolary arrangements, I’m able to gather my thoughts after the explosion of emotions that followed the tasting of an exceptional menu. The words accumulate, the gustatory memories remain and the gastronomic sensations follow one another. And time remains suspended for a moment… around a gourmet interlude in the basement kitchens of Geneva’s Grand Théâtre.
Table d’hôtes
It’s on these gourmet occasions that the young chef steps (even more) out of his culinary comfort zone. He assumes it, he claims it and he asks for more. Around a table d’hôtes improvised in the middle of the ovens, we come face to face with him, his concentration, his creations and his organization. Alongside his dedicated brigade, he composes a gastronomic symphony as technical as it is generous, as sentimental as it is committed, and as elegant as it is passionate. What a joy it is to have the privilege of seeing these artisans who take pleasure in filling us with wonder. What a privilege to see these chefs honoring a profession so difficult to practice on a daily basis. What a marvel to be at the heart of a restaurant’s nerve center. Every movement is calculated, every exchange of glances between chefs a silent means of communication to ensure perfect execution.
With his lean line, daikon and oysters, Jacopo Romagnoli is ready for battle, ready to show what he’s made of. He knows that the road ahead is long, and his is still in its infancy. With his sole de petit bateau, Jerusalem artichokes, shellfish and caviar, the chef imposes his style. A gentle marriage of classicism and modern technique. With lobster from Brittany with semi-salted butter, morels and ratte potatoes with veal marrow, he confirms his sentimental cuisine. With stuffed quail, cabbage confit, nashi pear and black truffle, he pays tribute to the product and to seasonality (even if this is disrupted by the vagaries of the weather).
White glove
And it’s with a dessert that honors Piedmont hazelnuts in a variety of textures that we take a step back. Our time at the Café de la Plage is a gastronomic slap in the face with a white glove. We’ll be back for more. We can’t wait to return to Place de Neuve. So, gourmets? Remember this name and shout it out… Jacopo Romagnoli! Believe me, this valiant chef has not finished surprising you.
Café de la Plage, 5 Place de Neuve, 1204 Geneva. Tel: 022 322 54 00
