FOURty Seconds With Salvatore Frequente

29 Dec 2014
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2 min read
Get to know chef Salvatore Frequente, as he answers exclusive questions for FOUR…

FOUR ask’s Salvatore Frequente questions we all want to know…
Read on and let his amazing dishes inspire you.


What are your earliest memories of food?

This would definitely be Cavatelli with eggplant and tomato at our dining table at home when I was a little boy.

What about your surroundings in Ascona, Switzerland inspires your cooking the most?

I enjoy living in Ascona a lot. I love the beauty of the surrounding mountains, lakes and forest; they provide great inspiration and I use as many seasonal ingredients from the region as possible. Due to the location of Ascona, near to the border, my cuisine is also very Italian, and influenced by the Mediterranean and Sicily.

How would you describe your culinary style in a few words?

My cuisine is colourful and simple but with an intense taste and focus on flavour.

What are your most indispensable ingredients and why?

My favourite ingredient is extra virgin olive oil. It fits perfectly with the way I am cooking and I just love it. When I was a child we added olive oil to just about everything. It is natural, organic and healthy.

Which of your signature dishes which you serve at your restaurant La Brezza are closest to your heart and why?

Risotto ‘Notte al Mare’. It’s made with black risotto rice, cuttlefish, kingfish, tomato and beautiful buratta.

If you were having your final three course meal, what would you order and why?

Foie gras, brioche and grape as a starter, tagliolini with Alba truffles and caviar as a main course and finally Finta mozzarella for dessert. These dishes are very special and also expensive – therefore something I cannot eat every day.

What kind of experience or memories do you hope guests will take away with themonce they’ve dined at yourrestaurant?

I want our guests to enjoy coming back again and again. Ideally they will go home and remember the freshness and harmony of the dishes, but most importantly simply enjoy the food.

Tell us something really interesting about La Brezza, where your restaurant is located. Why is it a must for food-loving guests to stay there?

Our gourmet restaurant La Brezza is located at the Hotel Eden Roc in Ascona, right on the edge of Lake Maggiore, with spectacular lake views all the way down to Italy. I think we have found the perfect mix of tradition and innovation. We put a lot of effort into the details and make sure we always use fresh and seasonal produce. For big fans of Italian cuisine, this is sure to be a wonderful experience.