Chef Alfonso says ‘growing organic products was a necessity’

Prominent chef of the two-star Michelin-rated restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 at the Grand Lisboa is visiting the region, boasting the restaurant’s acquisition of fresh and organic produce.

The passionate chef, Alfonso Iaccarino, heads Macau’s sister restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 in Southern Italy, which offers traditional food of the Sorrento and Amalfi coast.

Originally opened by the Alfonso family in 1973 in Sant’Agata, in the south of Italy, Don Alfonso 1890 currently exists in countries as far-ranging as New Zealand and Morocco.

The chef and his wife, Livia, have also been running a boutique hotel in the hill town of Sant’Agata sue due Golfi since 1982.

On Tuesday, the chef presented his two cookbooks:  the Alfonso Iaccarino, winner of the 2001 Gourmand World Cookbook award, and Don Alfonso 1890.

The two cookbooks showcase the restaurants’ respected recipes and famous dishes, such as linguine con vongole veraci & zucchine, gnocchetti con cozze & broccoli, and a casserole of scoglio. 

Iaccarina said that his books sought to share his humble beginnings with his guests and readers, whilst also promoting traditional Mediterranean cuisines.

When questioned how he maintained the traditional cuisine of Southern Italy despite the significant development of traditional dishes, the chef spoke of his respect for the region’s culture.

Meanwhile, recalling his first time in Macau, Chef Iaccarino noted that he and his wife visited the underdeveloped region some 30 years ago.

“That time Macau was very small; and the old Macau was very nice. We had a very wonderful impression. Macau has a little bit of European style and that was interesting,” he recalled to the Times.

“I never thought that one day I’d be coming back here as a professional. […] Now you see it as a big community and there’s a big development [especially] in the last four to five years; it’s terrific,” said the chef.

The chef acknowledged Macau’s diverse gastronomy – particularly traditional Chinese cuisine.

He also stressed that much of the produce used in his restaurants is grown on a seven-hectare family-owned farm, which he started approximately 30 years ago. Produce such as tomatoes, coffee beans, lemon, cheese and extra-virgin olive oil are shipped to the restaurants from the farmhouse named “Le Peracciole,” in Termini.

“Growing organic products was a necessity,” he said, noting that some companies advertise their cuisine on television without considering the health of the guests.

“So I must make a farm where I can grow everything organic so I can sell to my guests.”

When asked whether he had made compromises on the favored dishes in various restaurants which cater to the palates of different nationalities, the chef said, “The style and the philosophy must never change because this is something that we value.”

Chef Iaccarino also shared his secret to being a successful chef.

“You must always love everything that you do and never be satisfied with the things you did yesterday to make it better today. Also, be kind, be happy and give emotions to the people,” he said.

The chef revealed that there will be an upcoming Don Alfonso 1890 in Rome this autumn. He hinted that the hotel in which it will open is owned by a royal family.