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Carousel, the Fitzrovia wine bar with a constantly rotating kitchen residency, is launching a new guest chef series in January 2024. In collaboration with Cultivar Studio from Rome, they're bringing over four of Italy's most exciting culinary talents, providing them with top seasonal produce, and letting them cook. The Murra series shines a light on game-changing cuisine from one of the world's bastions of good eats and is not to be missed if you're a fan of la dolce vita.
Nino Rossi (3–6 Jan)
Carousel's Murra series begins with Nino Rossi from the Michelin-starred Calabrian restaurant Qafiz, a quaint 12-seater located in an 18th-century villa amidst olive trees in Santa Cristina d'Aspromonte. Nino, a local visionary, is redefining Calabrian cuisine by highlighting its varied flavours beyond just chillies and 'nduja, using ingredients from the Aspromonte mountains to create exceptional, seasonal tasting menus. His innovative dishes have not only earned Qafiz a Michelin star but also sparked new interest in the region, attracting visitors like Stanley Tucci for his show “Searching for Italy.”
Find out more here.
Luciano Monosilio (9–13 Jan)
In the second instalment of the Murra series, Carousel is featuring Luciano Monosilio, the so-called “King of Carbonara” and a pivotal figure in modern Roman cuisine, who skilfully blends innovation with Rome's rich culinary traditions. Luciano, who earned his first Michelin star at just 27, has a distinguished career spanning Italy's most celebrated kitchens and now operates his own restaurant, Luciano – Cucina Italiana, in Campo de' Fiori. The modern trattoria features an in-house pasta lab producing exceptional dried pasta, which stars in his intuitive and sometimes experimental menus.
Find out more here.
Giglio (16–20 Jan)
In Lucca, a picturesque Tuscan city, three friends, Benedetto Rullo, Lorenzo Stefanini, and Stefano Terigi, are redefining Italian cuisine with their unique, contemporary approach at their Michelin-starred restaurant. Their menu, influenced by classical French techniques and global culinary experiences from places like Relæ in Copenhagen and Ryugin in Tokyo, changes seasonally. Giglio, a local favourite since 1979, has embraced a more dynamic, rock-and-roll spirit under their stewardship, with the chefs themselves likening their culinary fusion to The Clash's iconic album, "London Calling".
Find out more here.
Retrobottega (23–27 Jan)
Retrobottega in Rome, with its dark and atmospheric setting, draws a trendy mix of locals and international food enthusiasts, all united by a passion for culinary innovation. Michelin-starred chefs Giuseppe Lo Iudice and Alessandro Miocchi creatively blend seasonality and regional ingredients, sourced from nearby fields and forests, to craft a menu that departs from traditional Roman cuisine and embraces global influences.
Find out more here.