Chef in focusChef Danilo Aiassa Chef Danilo Aiassa has a recipe for every occasion, from refined ricotta and spinach ravioli with spicy tomatoes to lemon sorbet with limoncello-layered almond cake. Born and raised in the commune of Carmagnola in the Italian region Piedmont, Chef Danilo combines the freshest local ingredients with his traditional culinary techniques. He crafts a myriad of sauces from scratch, fashions pasta in intricate shapes and brings the most delightful, homemade pizza to life at Ms.Jigger, the Italian restaurant at Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. From the Michelin-starred San Domenico in Italy to Hotel George V in France to Ciao at Mandarin Oriental and Appia in Bangkok, Chef Danilo is a globetrotter with a big heart and an insatiable appetite for good food. With an entrepreneurial mindset like Ms.Jigger, Chef Danilo has not only worked for many big names in the hospitality industry, but also realized his dream restaurant L’Ulivo in 2014. Why cooking as a career? Because it is the only job that you have to get married for the rest of your life, so you have to really be in love with being a chef. Best meal you've ever had? Always with my grandmother : Ravioli filled with beef oxtails. Favorite cookbook? Too many (Chef Danilo laughs). I always buy a lot at first and keep them on my secret shelf. What's your cooking philosophy? Keep it simple and delicious. |
What's your signature dish?
All dishes can be all my signatures as long as they fit my philosophy - delicious and simple - just like spaghetti with tomato sauce.
Most difficult ingredient to cook with?
Spaghetti cacio e pepe.
What's tastier - Italian rice or Thai rice?
If we talk about food, Italian rice is great for Italian food. If you talk about women, Thai is tastier than Italian (from my humble opinion).
Have you created an entirely new dish?
When I drive the car or motorbike, I think about that.
Greatest achievement to date?
When customers and staffs are happy, and satisfied with my dish.
Famous people you've cooked for.
Robert De Niro, Barbara Stresand, Michael Schumacher, Paul Because, Giovanni Agnelli, Geoge Bush, and my Mom, my two daughters and my wife.
Utensils you can't do without?
Knife.
Best advice you've ever received?
Do what you know best and don't overdo it.
What's your favorite dish to cook for yourself?
Fried eggs.
If you weren't a chef, what would you be?
Farmer, this is where I'm from.
What's next for you?
I will go in the kitchen and cook and teach my daughter.
All dishes can be all my signatures as long as they fit my philosophy - delicious and simple - just like spaghetti with tomato sauce.
Most difficult ingredient to cook with?
Spaghetti cacio e pepe.
What's tastier - Italian rice or Thai rice?
If we talk about food, Italian rice is great for Italian food. If you talk about women, Thai is tastier than Italian (from my humble opinion).
Have you created an entirely new dish?
When I drive the car or motorbike, I think about that.
Greatest achievement to date?
When customers and staffs are happy, and satisfied with my dish.
Famous people you've cooked for.
Robert De Niro, Barbara Stresand, Michael Schumacher, Paul Because, Giovanni Agnelli, Geoge Bush, and my Mom, my two daughters and my wife.
Utensils you can't do without?
Knife.
Best advice you've ever received?
Do what you know best and don't overdo it.
What's your favorite dish to cook for yourself?
Fried eggs.
If you weren't a chef, what would you be?
Farmer, this is where I'm from.
What's next for you?
I will go in the kitchen and cook and teach my daughter.