Meet Cucina's New Chef de Cuisine, Guiseppe Rivoli...

Marco Polo Ortigas Manila's flagship restaurant, Cucina, brings back rich and authentic flavors with its traditional and sumptuous spread prepared by its new Chef de Cuisine, Guiseppe Rivoli. As the new chef at the helm of Cucina, Guiseppe Rivoli promises to make guests feel so at home with his inventive take on homestyle cuisine, recreating favorite dishes prepared by his grandmother back in Italy. Slow food still rules, and it's back...at Cucina. 

With over a decade of culinary experience gained in prestigious hotels and restaurants in Europe and Asia, including Nobu Restaurant in London and Trattoria Italia in Singapore, Guiseppe Rivoli introduces new dishes at Cucina drawing inspiration from traditional flavors he grew up with in Italy. 

At the very core of Guiseppe Rivoli's culinary philosophy is using the freshest and finest ingredients prepared with time-honored and customary methods, slow yet deliberate for maximum flavors. This includes preparing freshly-made pasta daily, there's just no short cuts to real flavors. At Cucina's sumptuous spread, Guiseppe Rivoli showcased some of the new dishes, including his Beet Cured Salmon with Capers and Creme Fraiche, with the buttery notes of premium salmon enriched with creme fraiche. Fresh, clean notes, the perfect starter before the mains at Cucina.

At the dinner preview, other new seafood dishes were presented, including the Baked Salted Fish with Chef Giuseppe's special sauce. Laid on a wooden board, crusted with salt and slow-baked, the delicate notes of the fish are kicked up by the salt and the special sauce. 

Traditional yet contemporary, each dish reflects Chef Giuseppe's culinary style, bringing back classic slow-cooked food with the same intimate vibe as the childhood dishes prepared by his grandmother, like the  fork-tender Beef Cheeks with Grilled Vegetables...

...paired with Couscous and roasted vegetables, capturing the vibrant flavors of Chef Giuseppe's Mediterranean roots. The rich sauce, concentrated with all the flavors of the various ingredients, are perfectly absorbed by the couscous, delivering bold notes with every bite. 

The slow-cooked and tender Ossobucco ala Milanese, is another of Chef Giuseppe's old-world dishes capturing the rustic flavors of Italian homestyle cuisine...

...served with Soft Yellow Polenta to complete the flavors. As with all slow-cooked dishes, the rich sauce is built with multiple layers of bold notes from the different ingredients, blending seamlessly in another perfectly executed dish. 

Chef Giuseppe's Italian Porchetta Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Black Olive Pate combines the richness of the juicy pork tempered by the tart notes of the tomatoes and olives for balanced flavors. 

At Cucina's Carving Station, a slice of the Italian Porchetta reveals its savory stuffing, capped by a mildly crisp outer layer of crackling. The stuffing provides all the flavors, and you don't need any sauce at all for the porchetta.

The central station at Cucina's sumptuous buffet spread is an appetizing display of traditional flavors, recreated by Chef Giuseppe for a comforting dining experience.

One plate, followed by another...one just can't get enough of Chef Giuseppe's traditional, slow-cooked Italian flavors...

An animated Chef Giuseppe joined us for dinner as he narrated his culinary adventures, detailing his culinary journeys that began in Italy and led him around the world, and finally to Manila. He has yet to try Balut, but says he loved the local Pork Caldereta which he says is similar to the Italian Pepero Nada. 

At Cucina, Chef Giuseppe returns to his roots by recreating traditional dishes inspired by fond family and childhood recipes, forming the core of Cucina's new repertoire of dishes.

But you can also enjoy the rest of Cucina's impressive offerings, including succulent crabs from the day's freshest catch...

...along with plump mussels and clams. Enjoy it fresh, or sauteed in butter and garlic, it's your choice.

At the Cheese Station, one can indulge in a selection of assorted charcuterie... 

...and premium imported cheeses like Brie, Manchego, and Reblochon, a soft French cheese from the Alpine region.

One can also nibble on bite-sized sandwiches like Cucina's Lyoner Sandwich (L) and the familiar Ham & Cheese Sandwich (R) for a light start before the mains. At the Cheese Station, a variety of freshly baked bread completes the display for even more options.

Cucina boasts of a Japanese, Chinese, Asian, Filipino, Pasta, and Salad Station as well, but not to be missed is their signature Paella Station to add to your many choices.

Cap your feast with an indulgent slice of Brazo de Mercedes from the Dessert Station...

Craving for rich and comforting flavors? Head on over to Cucina, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila's all-day dining restaurant, open daily for lunch from 12:00 nn to 2:30 pm and dinner from 6:00 pm to 10:30 pm. Buffet price starts at P 1,500 net per person, children aged 6 and below get to dine for free while children aged 7 to 12 years old are charged half the price. Book your reservation by calling (02) 720-7720 and take a culinary journey back in time with classic, slow-cooked dishes prepared by Cucina's new Chef de Cuisine, Giuseppe Rivoli...