Sousaku, 創作, Creation - Chef Giuseppe Molaro, Contaminazioni Restaurant, Somma Vesuviana (Na)

 

 

I first met Chef Giuseppe Molaro back in March 2019.  The chef had recently returned from Tokyo where he was the executive chef at Sensi, by Heinz Beck in Japan, where he earned the restaurant a Michelin star in 2017 - two days after his 31st birthday.  I met Molaro at an event (here)  where he prepared an amazing shitake mushroom risotto which I still remember.  What else do I still remember? The look in his eye, his determination, and his creativity.  All attributes that contributed to a dream to finally open up a restaurant of his own in late 2019.  Contaminazioni Restaurant.  A restaurant that is part of a ambitious project in his hometown of Somma Vesuviana in the Naples Province.  A restaurant where he could express his style of gourmet cooking backed up by years of international experience.

Then Covid hit the world causing Italy to shut down totally in March causing the project to grind to a halt...or maybe a hiccup.  June 2020 - restaurants opened up again facing many challenges and restrictions that change constantly.  And though it sure ain't easy - a recent visit to Molaro showed me what I had seen since we first met - that look in his eye, his determination, and his creativity.  

His  Sousaku, 創作, Creation.  A taste of Molaro's Japan in a box - nigri, sashimi, hosomaki and ramen. All in a box, available as delivery, or in my case, take away. 

The box - before we talk about what is in the box, let's take a look on the outside...Chef Molaro handed me a simple white box with words written by hand with a black marker by the chef's wife, Yu-Ki.

Chef Giuseppe Molaro

And what was in the box? I ordered 2 portions which included (per person) -

Sashimi (3 pcs: salmon, tuna, amberjack) Hosomaki (3 pcs: rice roll in Nori seaweed with tuna)

Nigiri (5 pcs: squid, salmon, tuna, sea bass, amberjack)

                                                                            Ramen

When you order take out, sure, you don't have the ambiance, the mise en place of a gourmet restaurant but that doesn't mean you can't play a little bit with what you have at home. Which I did.

How could ramen be served as a takeaway?? It is quite simple, actually. Molaro's broth was packaged in a vacuum sealed bag. I just needed to heat it u and add it to the tagliolini pasta, beef, and egg.

I would not be wrong if I say that all of us are definitely down with what has hit us this past year.  But that doesn't mean we have to lose that sparkle in our eye, our determination, and our creativity...like Molaro.  And many many worldwide.

創作