Spotlighting Abu Dhabi as the culinary capital of the Middle East with a five-course menu of Italian specialties created just for the occasion
The capital of the United Arab Emirates will soon be gleaming with three-Michelin-starred talent as Chef Chicco Cerea of Da Vittorio Restaurant commandeers the kitchen of Café Milano for a dining experience to remember at Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Maryah Island. Set for Saturday, October 7, 2023 as part of the Exceptional Chefs Series in partnership with Abu Dhabi Culinary, the evening will unfold with an original five-course menu with wine pairings created just for the occasion by brothers Enrico and Roberto Cerea of Da Vittorio, whose contemporary reinterpretations of Italian classics will tickle the palates of discerning foodies while spotlighting Abu Dhabi as the culinary capital of the Middle East.
Born Enrico as the first of five children, “Chicco,” as he is known, was raised along with his brother “Bobo” in the kitchens of the original Da Vittorio restaurant owned by their parents in Bergamo, Italy. Chef Cerea’s fundamental culinary apprenticeship under the expert guidance of his father Vittorio and mother Bruna paid off big time when, after studying languages in high school, he gained experience cooking alongside some of the world’s most celebrated chefs, including Jacques Cagna in Paris, Roger Vergé on the Côte d’Azur, Heinz Winkler in Munich, and Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Sirio Maccioni in New York. He also did a turn at the late and legendary El Bulli in Roses, Spain.
Even while learning from the best, Chef Cerea was defining his own taste and aesthetics and building a heartfelt appreciation for the highest-quality seasonal and local products. Since striking out on his own, Chef Cerea and his younger brother have grown Da Vittorio into a sought-after culinary experience in Brusaporto in the Lombardy region of Italy, as well as at satellite locations in St. Moritz, Shanghai, Saigon, and elsewhere.
Café Milano to Set the Scene
An exquisite setting to showcase three-Michelin-starred magic, Café Milano in Abu Dhabi is modelled after the iconic original, which has been satiating the power dining crowd in Washington, DC, since 1992. The award-winning restaurant hailed by both Gault&Millau and the Michelin Guide serves a range of contemporary Italian specialties in a stylish boutique setting overlooking sparkling water and city views from an open-air terrace on the promenade level of Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi. As with every offering of the Hotel, the restaurant’s team is dedicated to the art and craft of Four Seasons hospitality as well as to the discretion and diplomacy at the heart of the Café Milano experience.
The evening at Café Milano will begin at 7:00 pm with a prosecco welcome reception, followed by dinner of Chef Cerea’s five-course menu with wine pairings. The experience will start with a Fresh Tuna Spaghetto with bagna cauda and pistachio crumble, and King Crab with lemon zucchini accompanied by Orvieto Classico Rocca delle Macie. Creamed Risotto with pesto, shrimps and tomato emulsion will be served with Chardonnay Doc Elena Walch for the primo course, followed by il secondo of Antarctic Cod with wasabi au gratin teamed with Pinot Nero Elena Walch.
And for a sweet finish? Tiramisú and Le nostre dolcezze. Given that Chef Cerea’s first love is pastry, this is one dessert diners won’t want to skip. Set menu with wine pairings, AED 850 per person. To secure table for the one-of-a-kind dining experience featuring Chef Chicco Cerea at Café Milano on October 7, 2023, call +971 2 333 2222, or contact cafemilano.abudhabi@fourseasons.com