‘Together, they are two of the greatest words in the English language: pasta and party’
GALLERY
It’s a Pasta Party!
Classic, simple, and utterly delicious. Chef Heinz Beck showed why Italian cuisine is one of the world’s most loved with a Pasta Party Lunch at his Gusto restaurant
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ogether, they are two of the greatest words in the English language: pasta and party. The last lunch of the Gourmet Culinary Extravaganza on Monday (October 31st) was a return to basics, but the result was oh-so-exquisite. The Pasta Party was an ode to simplicity, in true Italian fashion, and few do it better than Heinz Beck, the only chef to hold 3 stars in Rome.
While the wind picked up on the last day of October, the sun was still shining on the outdoor terrace of Gusto, the flagship restaurant of the Conrad Algarve. Indoors, the welcoming sound of a guitarist was surpassed only by the aromas that assaulted the senses: antipasti, pizza and pasta were the order of the day in the Gusto kitchen.
On the pass lay a beautiful vision of colourful antipasti, including vitello tonnato, carciofi in carpione, insalata di mare, prosciutto di Parma, Fritto di verdure e gamberi and insalata di panzanella. Meanwhile, the Gusto kitchen team, along with two separate cooking stations, were preparing such divine creations as (prepare your Italian dictionary): anellini al forno, spaghetti cacio e pepe, mezze maniche alla carbonara, sedanini all’astice, lasagne, ravioli di brasato su spinaci e fonduta di grana padano, tortellini in brodo affumicato di cappone, and pizza mista alla pala.
Wines were selected by António Lopes, the Conrad’s executive sommelier who felt right at home in the Gusto dining room, and Miguel Mendes, the sommelier of Vista restaurant in Praia da Rocha and the owner of the suitably named Sommelier shop in Lagos, both in the Algarve. The Portuguese wines included Ninfa Escolha Sauvignon Blanc (2014, Tejo), Vale de Luar Chardonnay (2014, Alentejo), Cedro do Noval Branco (2015, Douro), Cedro do Noval Tinto (2012, Douro) and Dona Louise (2005, Dão).
By scaling things back among the extraordinary events of the culinary weekend, on the final day of the Gourmet Culinary Extravaganza, Heinz Beck provided a true lesson in Italian cuisine and proved how simplicity can reign when it comes to beautiful food.
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