ITALIANS IN THE KITCHEN ACCORDING TO LOVRINOVICH (MICHELIN GUIDE): "LOVE FOR FOOD IS TRUE AWARENESS AND RESTAURANTS HAVE RESPONDED IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY, UNITING TRADITION WITH EXOTIC AND SIMPLE COOKING"

The entire Italian food world has been waiting in trepidation for the Michelin Guide Italy 2014 verdicts, the rewards for a country in which the kitchen always gives its best. There is a new "three stars", Niko Romito of Reale, 3 new entries with “two stars" and 29 new “one star”, for a total of 329 stars (making it the second most award-winning guide in the world). But, there has also been 30% growth in restaurants that offer simple meals at less than 25 euros. The Michelin Guide, endearingly called "Rossa", with its 113 years of history, is something more than a guide, because its judgments, like them or not, anticipate and influence trends, as Sergio Lovrinovich, in line with the anonymity that characterized his rise to Editor-in-chief, narrates.
"Interest in food is growing rapidly in Italy, and it is not a fad”, said the curator of the “Rossa”.
“It is awareness, certainly conveyed by the media. The TV, the press and various events have made people more aware of the importance of the quality of food, not just because it is crucial for our health, but also because it is pleasure and conviviality”. And thanks to the interest that food has attracted over the years, "the food world has been able to respond to the crisis in a positive way, in a more "democratic" way, as seen by the growth of the Bib Gourmand, and easier accessibility to the guide’s famous “stars”.
There has been a "continuing interest in products and traditions of the territory as well as an opposite phenomenon; that is, searching for exotic, rare ingredients to combine with our traditional ones, cooked simply and respecting the integrity of the products, while the molecular cuisine trend is fading. Cooks are more and more attentive to allergies and food intolerances, and often offer specific menus". Another interesting signal is "the positive trend of chefs from the South who, after living significant cooking experiences, return to their countries of origin to enhance and add value to their territory and cuisine.