Chef’s Table: Michelin-star chef Massimo Spigaroli on preserving traditions and his comfort favourite dishes

Chef Massimo Spigaroli is in London as part of his collaboration with Il Gattopardo, the Italian fine dining restaurant in the heart of Mayfair. Known as the “King of Culatello”, Massimo has earned international acclaim for his artisanal cuisine, deeply rooted in the land and traditions of his family estate. His artisanal meats range is a prominent fixture in many of the restaurant’s dishes.

Not only does Massimo run a world renowned cured meats business favoured by fine dining restaurants, celebrities and royals alike, he also helms a Michelin-starred restaurant: Antica Corte Pallavicina in Italy. Beyond cooking, Massimo is also dedicated to the cause of bringing rare pig breeds back from extinction. Such is the prominence of his work that he was personally entrusted with curing King Charles’ pigs of ancient English breeds. 

So for the October edition of our Chef’s Table series, we speak with Massimo about his collaboration with Il Gattopardo, working with King Charles and his comfort favourite dishes.You head up the fine dining restaurant Antica Corte Pallavicina. What sets your menu apart?
The raw produce that comes from our farm, a flavour and a style that can be traced back to our territory and the desire to maintain our history while creating our own.

How would you describe your style as a chef? What do you want your guests to experience when they come to your restaurants?
I want our guests to experience a quality welcome, yet one that remains true to our family. This is why I would describe my style as a tradition that looks towards the future while preserving the flavour of our land. As for my cooking, it all starts in the morning, when the raw ingredients arrive from the farm. From there, an incredible effort begins to enhance the products while fully respecting our traditions and our environment. This applies both to traditional dishes and those that we create which we hope will become iconic local dishes.

You are internationally renowned as the King of Culatello. Where did your passion for cooking come from?
I was born into a family of restaurateurs, farmers, and cured meat producers. I’ve always wanted to carry on my family’s knowledge. Since I was a child, I followed my father in the processing of meats and cured meats, in managing the animals and the farm, and I helped my aunt Emilia and my mother in the kitchen. From there, a great passion developed. What seemed like a game has now become a reality that confronts the world.From 13 to 19 October, you are collaborating with Il Gattopardo in Mayfair where you designed a selection of dishes alongside their a la carte menu. What does it mean to bring your range of artisanal cured meats to a restaurant such as Il Gattopardo?
Il Gattopardo is a restaurant with a refined style and an all-Italian heart – the ideal setting to tell the story of our cured meats in London. What makes this partnership unique is the mutual respect and shared commitment to authenticity and quality. Together, we bring to the table not only exceptional ingredients but also a story of great Italian cuisine, and above all, the desire to give our customers a one-of-a-kind experience. An incredible collaboration from the start, and an honour to contribute to this project. 

Your cured meats are a prominent feature across Il Gattopardo’s menu. How do you feel about working with such restaurants that are ingredient-led?
We feel perfectly at ease. Il Gattopardo’s philosophy corresponds exactly to our way of cooking. Respect for the ingredients, their distinct flavours, and excellent service with passion and attention to detail, are traits that unite us. You manage a Michelin-starred restaurant alongside your world renowned cured meats business. How do you juggle it all?
Every day begins with heart and passion. I start my mornings on the farm before heading to the laboratory, where we cure the meats. From there, I move into the kitchen to oversee preparations. My afternoons are spent doing appointments and checking the progress of the maturing process, then I meet with my niece to review production schedules. My evenings are devoted entirely to the restaurant, where everything comes together.

You also help bring rare breed pigs back from extinction. Why is this cause so important to you?
It is important not to lose traditions, and this includes the preservation of certain animal breeds that have shaped the history of my region. 

In 2007, King Charles invited you to his farm in Wales to act as a consultant gourmet pork butcher. What was that experience like? Do you have any fun anecdotes from your time there?
It was the meeting of two agriculture enthusiasts. We both share a passion for quality produce that contributes to the sustainability of the local area. Unlike what I would have expected from a figure of such high prestige, he made me feel welcomed, putting me at ease and introducing the topics and passions that unite us. Away from the restaurant, what is your ultimate personal comfort food or favourite dish?
I always try to make dishes that represent my culture. Heartfelt dishes, where the primary produce is not hidden by excessive preparations, and where the work done by those who produced the meat can emerge. If I had to choose one dish that brings me warmth, it is the ‘Open’ gnocchi with Strolghino salami. It is a dish my mother taught me how to cook and always reminds me of my family and childhood. 

Who are some of your chef heroes?
Difficult question, but let’s try: Alain Ducasse, George Blanc, Michel Troigrois, Nadia Santini, Massimo Bottura, Fulvio Pierangelini and all those chefs who dedicate part of their lives to maintaining and growing their territory with their preparations. Alain Ducasse is more than an iconic chef; he is a person for whom I have great respect, and a comparison with him is always very constructive.

Images: Julien Zaccardi, Paolo Gepri

To know more about Chef’s Table and chef Massimo Spigaroli, subscribe to our weekly newsletter, the Tempus Edit— and read other interviews in our Chef’s Table series.