Chef Cristina Bowerman, the only female chef with a Michelin star in Rome for her restaurant, Glass Hostaria, takes over Anantara Siam’s Italian restaurant, Biscotti until Dec 30.
Chef Bowerman is one of the most internationally recognised chefs, and not simply because of her pink hair. Her contemporary and innovative Italian fair, challenges the traditional Trastevere scene, with dishes that tell the story of taste through a constant dialogue between traditions, cultures, memory and places.
“I wanted to be as authentic as possible. Italian food culture is very popular all over the world but it is often far away of what authentic Italian food is. I am sure that happens to many cuisines, Thai included. At the same time I wanted to be me and cuisine is fundamentally Italian but I am a multicultural person who has always proposed a modern Italian cuisine promoting local ingredients,” she says of her choice of dishes at Biscotti.
“Instead of chard or cabbage, the use of bok choi, mango instead of peach. The banana and oxtail foam with the beef tenderloin. I think it is important to introduce a new flavours through ingredients without betraying the original one,” she adds.
Apart from being Michelin-starred, Glass Hostaria also holds three Forks from Gambero Rosso and is one of the most celebrated dining experiences in Rome. Opened in 2006 and receiving hundreds of accolades over 19 years of service, Chef Bowerman and her team’s philosophy aims to give life to an articulated and unique experience, serving dishes with distinctive flavours derived from a blend of innovation, tradition, research and experimentation.
Supported by Edoardo Fortunato and Davide Grieco in the kitchen, and Riccardo Nocera at the front of the house, Chef Bowerman has established a space that transcends being just a restaurant. The same service has been transported to Bangkok to make the chef’s residency as authentic as possible.
Diners can expect appetisers including Almost a pizza, comprising a creamy celery root pizza with pomegranate molasses; Sea and earth tartare featuring beef and tuna tartare with apple and caviar and the zesty amberjack sashimi, presenting amberjack infused in red beet juice, with beet miso. An array of Italian pasta, Risotto and second courses follow, with many featuring Chef Bowerman’s unique take on traditional Italian fair.
Must-try dishes include a liquid Parmigiano Reggiano stuffed ravioli with seasonal truffle. “This dish has been a Glass Hostaria signature for more than 13 years. When you bite into a liquid Parmigiano ravioli, the smooth filling should flow out, enveloping your palate in the nutty, creamy flavour of Parmigiano Reggiano, making it a sublime dining experience which fully represents Italian culture,” says chef Bowerman.
Other dishes include a Beef tenderloin with a velvety chocolate demi glace and grated foie gras torchon. Another must-try is the Waila with pastrami pigeon breast, BBQ leg, mustard and berry drops, which is a Glass Hostraia signature. Waila is a blini made of fermented rice. Desserts include Passion fruit with dulce de leche and popcorn ice cream.
Chef Bowerman is also a member of the Chefs' Manifesto, an initiative aimed at ending hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture by 2030. She is an ambassador for Rise Against Hunger Italia and was one of the first chefs to participate in the Plastic Free certification programme for Glass Hostaria.
Biscotti is open for lunch and dinner, and is offering an a la carte and tasting menu. Visit the hotel’s website.
