Martino Scarpa – Ristorante Ai Do Campanili

My love for cooking started when I was 12 years old, my parents were working and I had to do the shopping and make lunch. I didn't always cook what they asked me to, on the contrary, I often opened cookbooks and chose the dish I liked best at that moment. I have to say, though, that my father always cooked very well and I always enjoyed eating! Two people in particular have helped me grow a lot, both as a person and as a cook: first of all Olindo Ballarin, owner of the trattoria "Laguna" in Cavallino where I worked for 8 years; thanks to his great knowledge of the area and its products, he passed on to me the love for our land and our traditions. And then there's Paolo Levada, a former teacher and a great friend of mine, who really taught me many things in my profession and in life.

The Osteria has been created from an old 17th century rustic building which has recently been renovated. In 2011 the owners, who already had another restaurant, entrusted it to me and Nicola Bacciolo, my historical partner, with the idea of creating a small place, with just a few seats so that we could take better care of our customers. The name refers to the fact that in Cavallino Treporti the church has two bell towers: the old renovated one and the new one. As well as all the vegetables grown here on the sandbanks, which have unique, savory, salty aromas, wild herbs such as glasswort, wild carrots, chervil and purslane grow here. And for this I have to thank Andrea Rossetti, now chef at the Fuel restaurant in Padua, who worked with me for three years; he taught me a lot about the botany of my land.

It was a wonderful experience and I was there for 14 years: after all that time, it became a family. All the people who work around you, from the writers to the producers, from the cameramen to the costume designers, create a wonderful environment and in the end going to Rome didn't bother me at all, on the contrary, it was like my half-day off spent with friends.

I met Dario Loison at the 'Stelle del Nordest' event, but I have known his products for several years. I have always found his panettone to be delicious and every year he surprises me with new products. Among all his products, the one that struck me was the Panettone with figs from Calabria. Overall it is delicate and versatile because it lends itself very well to savory recipes. Right now I could easily use Panettone Powder in both sweet and savory dishes. For example, Mandarin Panettone Powder could be used in the prawn salad I have on the menu. It would go really well! However, it wasn't that simple. Loison Panettoni are delicious, so you have to try not to ruin them, but instead enhance their taste and aroma by combining them appropriately with the recipe.