Skip to content
Left arrow
FOUR Magazine logo
Search icon

Andrea Aprea

Chefs
|
04 Dec 2018
|
4 min read

A chef whose cooking is guided by his experiences and the relationships between the different elements in a dish, Andrea Aprea’s strengths lie in technique and innovation. Combining this with simplicity and respect for traditional Italian cooking and the terror, Andrea creates an environment which spotlights the food as the protagonist.

Head chef of VUN since 2011, Andrea Aprea gained the restaurant its first Michelin star in 2013 and its second Michelin star in 2018. His cuisine takes inspiration from experiences he has had in several cities around the world, including London, Kuala Lumpur, Ravello, Florence and Lake of Garda, amongst others.

“My contemporary cuisine looks towards the future, but never forgets its origins.”

Born in Naples, Andrea’s cooking has Neapolitan dishes and products at is core, but uses the best ingredients in the Italian peninsula to create a taste journey which pays tribute to Italian cuisine. Andrea looks to overcome academic conflicts and break away from the rhetoric of traditions when he creates his food. His aim is to go beyond innovation and modernity, and devote himself to the idea of contemporaneity, mixing technique with experience, emotion with culture and aesthetics with precise taste.

“What we have always called tradition is our ancestors’ present – an enduring present even as time and fashion pass, reaching us in an absolute way. Contemporaneity, instead, is the ability of interpreting the spirit of our time, building a theory about the future on it.”

The dishes at VUN are a dialogue between traditi on and contemporaneity says Andrea, “We can find in each dish more of one or more of the other, or sometimes they are both melted in a unique experience. These flavors that already belong to us, in our memories, but now they meet our senses in an unexpected way.”

Andrea focuses on the raw materials, as he believes these form the basis of every experience; they encapsulate the knowledge of the territory and of the local gastronomic culture. The harmony that exists between tradition and the unique food of Italy allows Andrea to bring both flavors and places to the plate, building tales about landscapes through taste.  These stories are intended to surprise and delight the tastebuds, with unexpected elements hidden in the plate to deliver a natural experience.

Andrea’s signature dishes represent this philosophy:

The Tortelli Cacio Cheese, Pepper and Caramelized Onion recalls the flavors of a great classic of Lazio cuisine, updated with a series of steps: a unconventional size of pasta, a careful selection of cheeses, the choice and the cut of the pepper, the adding of the caramelized white onion – a theatrical but convivial dish. The result is an extremely contemporary plate: it seems to already know its flavor. The Caprese Sweet…Salty is the best example of the dialogue between different aspects of a dish. Mozzarella, tomato and basil have always been part of the experience. These are ancient tastes that find a different expression of themselves in this dish. Thanks to technique, they can surprise the viewer in their visionary composition, confound expectations and deliver them in a unique treat that merges original tastes with something never experienced before. The Black Pork “100 Hours”, Red Chicory, Smoked Provola Cheese, Honey and Chilli Pepper offers the meat of the Sicilian Apennines displayed with red radish, garlic, oil, honey, chilli pepper and smoked provola – the portrayal of Italy on one plate. The resulting plate is totally contemporary and could represent the tradition of tomorrow. VUN’s tradition and contemporaneity give way to each other.

The gastronomic proposal of Andrea’s dishes showcase the dialogue between memories and discoveries. His menus each have a distinctive theme:

The Neapolitan Itinerary is Aprea’s tribute to his home, dedicated to Neapolitan tradition. This menu includes dishes which are a deep reinterpretation of the gastronomic culture of the Campania region in Nepal.  Travelling between North and South is dedicated to the Bel Paese, defining Italy by summing up its own gastronomic landscapes.

The dining space at VUN plays an essential part in the complete experience, and according to Aprea, it is a prerequisite for the comprehension of the philosophy.

“To the qualifications required for hospitality – smile, education, availability, and empathy – are added the knowledge of food, of ingredients and technique.”

Located in the centre of Milan – one step away from Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Alla Scala Opera House and via Montenapoleone – the restaurant’s name means “one” in Milanese dialect. The name expresses a desire to form a strong bond with the city and the territory, but is also an ideal synthesis of the chef’s philosophy that encompasses Italian culinary tradition and its Neapolitan roots.

The design of Vun’s interior is the perfect backdrop for the gastronomic experience. The setting is minimal and cozy,  decorated in neutral colors and adorned from floor to ceiling with elegant, sand-colored linen. The floor contrasts the room with its dark-colored fabric, while the classic, dark-oak one-leg tables sit gracefully in the room, covered with crisp white table linen. High-backrest chairs covered with ivory cushions bring in a regal element to the room.  The warm and delicate lighting focuses on the on tables, glorifying the relationship between guest and food. The result is a place where food is the main character: furnishings, supplements and decorative elements are devoted to leading each guest into a sensory experience – they are not meant to fill the scene.

Awards
  • 2 Michelin Stars | The Michelin Guide 2018-2019
  • Best Restaurant Service 2016-2018 | Gambero Rosso
  • Best Chef Awards 2018: 26th position in the list of 300
  • Best City Gourmet Restaurant 2018  | The Best Chef Awards
Recipes
Caprese Sweet…Salty
FOUR Questions with Andrea

Describe your culinary philosophy in FOUR words:

Intensity, origins, contemporary, innovation.

What is your greatest inspiration?

Memories and tradition.

If you could take a plane ride to any restaurant in the world, just for one meal, where would you go? 

Asador Etxebarri, Axpe, Spain.

What FOUR items would you take to a desert island?

My family, extra-virgin olive oil, fishing pole, lighter.

VUN Andrea Aprea

Park Hyatt Milan
Via Silvio Pellico 3
Milan, Italy 20121
Tel: +39 02 8821 1234
VUN
restaurantvun.milan@hyatt.com

 

Images © VUN Andrea Aprea at Park Hyatt Milan

World’s best winner 2014     |     World’s best luxury lifestyle media brand 2022

About

|

Editions

|

Contact

|

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Four magazine

|

All Rights Reserved

About

|

Contact

|

Editions

|

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 Four magazine

|

All Rights Reserved

four-magazine.com use cookies to deliver an optimised experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all cookies used.
Cookie settingsaccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
__cfduid1 monthThe cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
_abck1 yearThis cookie is used to detect and defend when a client attempt to replay a cookie.This cookie manages the interaction with online bots and takes the appropriate actions.
bm_sz4 hoursThis cookie is set by the provider Akamai Bot Manager. This cookie is used to manage the interaction with the online bots. It also helps in fraud preventions
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
ts3 yearsThis cookie is provided by the PayPal. It is used to support payment service in a website.
ts_c3 yearsThis cookie is provided by PayPal when a website is in association with PayPal payment function. This cookie is used to make safe payment through PayPal.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
akavpau_ppsdsessionThis cookie is provided by Paypal. The cookie is used in context with transactions on the website.
nsidThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to enable the PayPal payment service in the website.
tsrce3 daysThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to enable the PayPal payment service in the website.
x-pp-ssessionThis cookie is set by the provider PayPal. This cookie is used to process payments from the site.

Performance

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

CookieDurationDescription
YSCsessionThis cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gid1 dayThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
_fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to deliver advertisement when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting this website.
fr3 monthsThe cookie is set by Facebook to show relevant advertisments to the users and measure and improve the advertisements. The cookie also tracks the behavior of the user across the web on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
IDE1 year 24 daysUsed by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
test_cookie15 minutesThis cookie is set by doubleclick.net. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by Youtube. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

CookieDurationDescription
_gat_gtag_UA_120081375_11 minuteThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_83740222_11 minuteThis cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors.
_mcid1 yearNo description
ak_bmsc2 hoursNo description
CONSENT16 years 9 months 2 days 6 hoursNo description
ec_store_chameleon_fontsessionThis cookie is provided by Ecwid and it is used to save the font utilised in the website's online store.
enforce_policy1 yearNo description
l7_az30 minutesNo description
LANG9 hoursNo description
x-cdnThis cookie is provided by Paypal and is used in context with shopping transactions on the website's store.