The first thing that definitely makes sense to visit in Rome after the lockdown is over is The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel. And you should no doubt start your journey with the acquaintance with the restaurant Idylio by Apreda, the brainchild of Francesco Apreda – the famous star chef, the winner of the most treasured restaurant "Oscars" and the Chef Ambassador in the Tridente Collection Group. He is a person with an international soul, one of the most brilliant talents and high-class professionals of Grande cuisine, who is truly loved by both critics and the public. By the way, just six months after the opening, the restaurant Idylio by Apreda was awarded a Michelin star.

Francesco also stands at the helm of the hotel&#39;s second restaurant, the Divinity Terrace, where we met to enjoy our communication with him and one of the most breathtaking views of the city that only Rome can offer, between the Pantheon&rsquo;s dome and the magnificent Church of Sant&rsquo;Ivo alla Sapienza.

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How did you come to the world of gastronomic art?

This must be destiny. My family wasn&rsquo;t connected with this sphere. We used to live together in Naples but, one day, my family decided to move to Formia, a little town by the sea. I discovered an interesting catering college there specializing in the restaurant business, so I chose to start a new adventure. It was in that moment that my great passion for cuisine really started growing. When I graduated from college, a friend of mine by chance found out that the chef at the Hassler hotel was looking for a commis de cuisine. At that time I didn&#39;t know anything about the grand Hassler, but I was curious to test myself. And so I just went to Rome and they hired me.

That&#39;s how it often happened in my life further on. For example, I went to London to attend a food festival, and the city made such a strong impression on me that I decided to stay there for working.

Every city &ndash; Naples, Rome, London, Tokyo, Mumbai and New Delhi &ndash; has made me grow fast both as a person and as a professional. Working in prestigious restaurants was certainly not easy, but at the same time incredibly exciting, the experience left me with a lot of vivid and warm memories, such as, for example, the wedding of Isha Ambani, the daughter of Mukesh Ambani, one of the most famous persons in India, which lasted five days and nights and that I attended as a guest chief.

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You have worked at the world-famous Hassler for 16 years. Please, tell us about this amazing chapter of your life.

I was 19 years old, when I first started working at the Hassler, and I immediately realized the prestige and the importance of that place feeling that it would change my life forever. And so it did. At the age of 29, I returned to the Hassler as an Executive Chef, and almost a year after opening of the Im&agrave;go restaurant I received a Michelin star. It was a great event in my life!

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Over the years at the Hassler you have hosted a huge number of world-famous guests, from Benjamin Netanyahu and Robert De Niro to Madonna and Tom Cruise. Have any incredible stories happened during this period of time that you can remember?

Yes, I have indeed had the honor of cooking for a lot of important guests and I remember all of them with a great pleasure. The one I remember the most is Tom Cruise, because he was a regular customer of the Hassler and I had the chance to establish a friendship with him. One day, he called me from his private jet asking me to prepare a pasta buffet to be found in his room. He landed in Rome at 2:00 am, and I was there waiting for him. Tom is a very considerate person, communication with him is always a pleasure, and, of course, we talked also about the Italian cuisine, in which, by the way, he is very well versed.

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What about your own taste habits and favorite dishes, what are they like?

Of course, my idea of cuisine originates in my native Naples and my creations are inspired by my childhood memories and my mother&rsquo;s recipes.

When I&rsquo;m at home, I really love eating a plate of Spaghetti alle vongole, one of the traditional Neapolitan Christmas dinner dishes, or Parmigiana, a traditional eggplant dish.

Sometimes my wife also prepares fusion dishes, drawing ideas from the memories of wonderful journeys, which we made together.

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After the new turn in your career in Idylio by Apreda, here you have assumed several responsible roles at once&hellip;

The project at The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel originated from my desire for change and I have immediately found the right encouragement from the Pacini brothers, the owners.

Since the beginning, my goal was to create an elite restaurant of an extra class of the highest level, as well as a new format of restaurants on the terrace, which we presented at the Divinity.

In the company I also have the role of the Chef Ambassador, for to give an important culinary imprint to all the Tridente Collection.

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In your new gourmet jewel, guests can find your very special tasting menus, accompanied by a wine list featuring over 600 bottles representing the world&rsquo;s finest wine-growing regions&hellip;

The menu features three different tasting tours. The first one is &ldquo;Iconic Signature&rdquo; and it is composed by my classics and the most popular and iconic dishes. Therefore, you can find &ldquo;Sapidit&agrave; Essenziali&rdquo;, my latest project: a tasting tour consisting of seven dishes characterized by balance between sapidity and spicy without added salt. Last but not least, there&rsquo;s &ldquo;Idylio&rsquo;s Butterfly&rdquo; tasting journey (the symbol of Idylio by Apreda is a butterfly, it represents the idea of change and freedom.) Each of the tours offers unique experiences and new taste discoveries to our guests.

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Many Romans, as well as guests of the city, love to meet on the Divinity terrace. People come here for an aperitif and after theater, and this is already becoming a nice new tradition.

This is absolutely true. Our guests love to enjoy a marvelous panoramic view at different times of the day, but the most iconic moment, of course, is an aperitif at sunset. And here guests of the terrace can try special culinary offers, which include both traditional dishes such as Pizza, Pasta, Mozzarella di Bufala or Carpaccio di pesce, and also international proposals such as Tandoori cooking.

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Award-winning designer Marco Piva was specially invited here for the restoration process of the building&hellip;

The close location to the Pantheon became a source of inspiration and defined every element of this place. The exclusive design created by Marco Piva combines iconic elegance with modern, innovative luxury. Thanks to the exquisite marble finishes and refined circular elements inspired by the famous dome&rsquo;s oculus (the circular opening in the dome, the only one through which light enters the temple) and the dome itself, the beauty of the nearby Pantheon can still be felt even after you finish your walk through the cobbled streets and cross the threshold of the hotel.

With bronze archways, shiny black stoneware and sculpted monoliths of golden Calacatta marble, the hotel showcases the geometry of the&quot; Temple of All the Gods&quot;, bringing the architectural icon of the Pantheon to life in a new way.

This pandemic is changing all of us for sure, but my team and I never stopped and we are looking forward to coming back on our beloved gastronomic stage!

The restaurant business is going through hard times now. How do you manage to maintain constant success in this situation? 

During the first lockdown, I tried to remain constantly in contact with my team and clients, so I created my personal gastronomic feature: &ldquo;Ritagli di Francesco Apreda&rdquo;.

With this feature, I could share practical tips and various recipes online. Then I created another new project called &ldquo;Spicy Blend by Francesco Apreda&rdquo;, an e-commerce where you can find my exclusive blend - a secret mix of unique spices.

This pandemic is changing all of us for sure, but my team and I never stopped and we are looking forward to coming back on our beloved gastronomic stage!

After a big crisis there is always a significant rebirth. And I&rsquo;m getting ready for that.

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Photo: Mattia Aquila, Alberto Blasetti, Carlo De Gori

Idyll of Francesco Apreda

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