© Lido Vannucchi

Set in the grounds of his boutique hotel Casa Maria Luigia, Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant is housed in one of three buildings that Italy’s most famous culinary star acquired in January 2023. Another building right next door is home to an old balsamic vinegar factory that its owner can’t wait to show off: “More than 1,000 wooden barrels are stored in the cellar, some of them dating all the way back to the 1900s,” says Bottura with obvious enthusiasm. He’s always dreamed of owning a vinegar factory, or acetaia, because the best balsamic vinegar in the world is produced right here in Modena, his hometown.

From Aceto Balsamico to Ferrari

© Lido Vannucchi

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena is just one of Modena’s illustrious claims to fame. Located in the Emilia-Romagna region near Bologna, the city is also known for supercar brand Ferrari, traditional pasta dishes such as tagliatelle, lasagna and tortellini… and Massimo Bottura himself. His Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana earned a three-star rating from the Michelin Guide back in 2012, and in 2016 and 2018 it was ranked first on the influential list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

But that’s not all: the go-getting host runs a number of other culinary establishments in and around Modena as well. There’s Franceschetta58, a less expensive and more casual version of his main restaurant; Ristorante Cavallino, which opened in 2021 and is housed in what used to be the company canteen at the Ferrari factory in nearby Maranello; and the brand-new Al Gatto Verde, the restaurant which Bottura opened last September in his country-house hotel Casa Maria Luigia, 15 minutes outside the city.

FAIRYTALE BEGINNINGS

Marco Poderi

“The name comes from a fairytale about a cat that Enzo Ferrari used to tell his son. When the cat turned green, anything could happen,” says motorsport aficionado Bottura, showing off the boutique hotel’s new gym as we head for the restaurant. It’s right next to Al Gatto Verde, and besides the exercise equipment it also contains an art gallery as well as half a dozen Ferraris and an equal number of motorcycles made by Ducati, another legendary local name.

We step through the unremarkable door that leads to the new eatery; decorated in modern country style, the interior features lots of green and natural wood. The chef is Jessica Rosval, who spent five years at Bottura’s three-star Osteria Francescana as chef de partie before taking charge of the hotel kitchen three years ago. Now in her mid-30s, the enthusiastic Canadian is delighted at the prospect of bringing her own personality into the equation.

GREEN IDEAS

© Lido Vannucchi

“We try to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible in everything we do; just about all our cooking is wood-fired, whether it’s grilled, cooked in the pizza oven or smoked. We use solar panels to generate our own electricity and harvest the rainwater as well. On top of that, we produce virtually zero waste and even recover the exhaust heat,” says Rosval of the concept.

As you’d expect, the service team here is quick, friendly and precise, and presents diners with a delectable choice of à la carte options, as well as a tasting menu for those who can’t make up their minds. Names like "Not a Mussel" (a dish made of blue crab, pork belly and apple) and "Cotecchino in Dragon’s Blood" (a local specialty made of coarse sausage meat with plum sauce) add the flamboyant flair typical of Bottura. However, closer inspection reveals the Canadian chef’s signature as well: dishes such as "Short Ribs Forever", "Agnello (Lamb) di Montreal" and a stunning cheesecake that combines smoked Robiola cheese, fresh herbs, juniper cream and vintage balsamic vinegar clearly point to her North American origins.

© Lido Vannucchi

Other dishes are patently more Italian – including the hand-made, oven-baked tortellini with Parmesan cream, and Pasta Arsa, a kind of risotto made of pasta and served with pulled beef short rib, maple syrup and pistachios. “We use local products whenever possible,” says Rosval. “For sustainability reasons, obviously, but first and foremost because we’re rooted between the vineyards and fields of the Modenese countryside where some of the best foods in the world are grown.” 

Al Gatto Verde
Stradello Bonaghino, 56, 41126 Modena, Italy
Tel.: +39 334 655 5554
Web: casamarialuigia.com