Marcello Apollonio
Chef-Partner
Il Fornaio - Irvine

was born in 1959 in Basilicata, the arch in the boot of Italy. When my older twin brothers left home to attend hotel and food service school, their education stole my attention, and I became fascinated with cooking and serving food. Each time they returned home, I made them teach me everything they had learned: bits of English, how to open a bottle of wine, how to clear a table. In a short time I became my mother’s dining room helper and later, her sous chef.

have beautiful memories about our time around the dinner table. My mother loved to cook healthy and delicious meals for our big family (six children, parents and grandparents) and was most happy when we finished our meal. This was a great influence on me when I chose my career; I began working in kitchens in various restaurants in Italy until I met my wife Jennifer in Florence and we came to Los Angeles. After working in Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles, I came to IL Fornaio in Irvine and have been here nine years. In the United States, it is probably the most authentic Italian restaurant an Italian chef could aspire to work in.

n Italy, cooking traditions vary from region to region. Just as my mother influenced me with her culture so have chefs from all of Italy. Creating this menu of Basilicata allows me to share my culture and the food memories I had growing up.

remember what my grandfather taught me so many years ago: to enjoy all that you do, eat well and stay respectful of the seasons. For life is too short not to derive pleasure from your daily tasks. Approach all you do with a desire to improve your understanding of what you experience, and your life will be a happy journey indeed. Thank you for allowing me to share with you my discoveries of the food, wine and culture of Basilicata. Buon Appetito!

he mountainous terrain and the difficult soil of Basilicata have helped to create a
cuisine of simple hearty peasant dishes. Raw materials most often come from land in the immediate vicinity; the original ingredients that go into the dishes are entirely local, pure and undoctored. Basilicata likes its sauces strongly seasoned, its sausages and treated meats spiced and its cheeses sharp.

Olive oil is the most important product of the region, but the most well-known products are its preserved meats. The local sausages are so regarded in the north that they are both imported and imitated. They are described as “lucanica” (or “luganega” - after Lucania, the name first given to Basilicata) to indicate the flavor and quality of Basilicata products. These are the sausages featured in RISOTTO CON SALSICCIA E CARCIOFI  (risotto with sausage, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach and white wine) and they are not to be missed.

The spicy seasoning of Basilicata promotes thirst and the region’s Aglianico del Vulture is one of the best wines in all of southern Italy. The volcanic soil of Mt. Vulture produces a distinctive red wine reputed to have tonic qualities. It is a great match with the full-flavored dishes of the region; try a glass with CARPACCIO DI MELANZANE E PEPERONI (grilled eggplant, roasted bell peppers and goat cheese), and GARRETTO D'AGNELLO (lamb shank braised with vegetables, herbs and red wine).

Coming September 3-16:

THE FOOD AND WINE OF UMBRIA