In just a few weeks, sail boats will race across the Venice lagoon while a simultaneous cooking competition takes place aboard. It's all part of the upcoming 2013 S.Pellegrino Cooking Cup, an exciting event that combines two trademark Italian pastimes: fine dining and sailing.
The regatta for foodies will set sail June 14th with events throughout the enchanting city of Venice. On June 15th, a team of 10 chefs and sailors will race between Lido in Venice to the Island of San Giorgio.
On top of all this action a number of events will take place for members of the public to sample the great flavors of Italy, including the Acqua Panna & S.Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year 2013 Award which will see all 10 of the chefs in the competition present their best signature dishes to judges.
In anticipation of the grand event, we'd like to introduce you to some of the young talented chefs who will race to the finish line while preparing stunning dishes.
Today, we present to you Haviv Moshe, a 29-year old sous chef from Messa restaurant in Tel Aviv. Moshe is passionate about creating Mediterranean cuisine with a modern edge. Here’s what he had to say about his relationship with food:
Describe your cooking style with three keywords.
New age, creative, Mediterranean.
Which is the first taste you remember and why?
The first and unforgettable taste I remember from childhood is the taste of raw almonds, and I can’t wait for the season to get them. I think they're a great product.
If you were a dish, which one would you be?
If I was a dish I would probably be Schnitzel and fries because it’s a simple and modest dish, and you hardly get disappointed when you eat it.
Which is the dish you prefer to prepare and the one you prefer to eat?
The dish I prefer to prepare is raw fish, I think it’s the ultimate way to eat fish. Freshness is the most important aspect of all. Because I’m a fish freak that is what I prefer to eat, as well.
Who or what is your main source of inspiration? A flavor, a situation, a dish you tried... And why?
My inspiration is definitely the team I work with and the chef Haviv Moshe. Also, literature inspires me, I just purchased El Celler de Can Roca book.
Tradition and innovation: which is the relationship with these words, and how is it applied to your cuisine?
I will always stay connected to traditional food and the flavors I grew up with. Innovation and inspiration are things I’m always drawn to and I look for constantly. It’s all applied in my cooking - when I upgrade and innovate traditional food and expose it to my costumers.
What is fine dining for you? How do you think new generations are changing this idea and making it evolve?
Fine dining for me is when the food is complex, lots of fresh and seasonal products. New techniques, interesting combinations of the chef and creativity. In Israel, I believe the new generation is very ambitious, learning a lot from different cultures. They examine and take interest and you can see the results when you taste the food.
Which will be, according to you, the next big trend related to food and conviviality?
The next trend in Israel, I believe, is Indonesian cuisine.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
I think if I wasn’t a chef I would be a lifeguard.
Year 2050: what food do you think we’ll bring to our table?
I believe in the year of 2050 we will go back to the old classics with an amazing new techniques.
Stay tuned for more news on the chefs of the 2013 S.Pellegrino Cooking Cup.