HYATT Regency Saipan’s Executive Chef Matteo Fracalossi, also known as Chef “Matteo” started his career in the culinary field at a young age in the town of Trento, Italy. He kept going and expanded his culinary passion as executive chef in Restaurant Amarsi in Moscow and eventually landed as Italian chef in Banana Island Resort in Doha Qatar.
With an abundant background in tow, he is bound to give the hotel guests and the CNMI community authentic taste of his homeland’s cuisine. He would like everyone to explore and expand their taste buds when it comes to Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Italian food offerings.
“There is more to Italian food than just pasta or pizza,” Chef Matteo said.
According to him, it has been a general misconception that when people hear about Italian food, its pizza and pasta are among the things that comes into mind. But he is determined to burst the bubble and introduce a lot more of Italian flavors.
“Italian dish is much more than that. It is a variety of flavors and a fusion of spices and dishes from Northern and Southern Italy,” he said.
Matteo explains that Italian cuisine is a combination of various influences that includes original Italian and the many cultures that merged with it due to colonization and migration. Our dishes have different European, Mediterranean and French influences from neighboring countries like Spain, France and Austria,” he added.
Matteo’s culinary touch also stemmed from his biological roots being born from a mother who is from Tuscany and a father from the northern side of Italy.
“I really like Tuscan food,” he said.
Tuscany is among the most famous and significant wine regions in Europe. The region is known for its Sangiovese-based dry red wines such as the famous Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Wine enthusiasts would never miss Tuscany in search of the best flavors.
“I am here to introduce the community to the real flavors of Italy. We will give them Italy at its best from North to South,” he said.
Giovanni’s Menu Revamped
As soon as Chef Matteo joined Hyatt, he initiated the revamping of its Italian restaurant, Giovanni’s.
The new dishes on their menu include selezione di antipasti (selection of appetizers), such as insalata di mare (seafood, parsley salad, celery, cherry tomato), melanzane (marinated grilled eggplant, oregano, garlic, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil), cavolfiore, broccoli e acciughe (cauliflower, broccoli, black olive, bread crouton, anchovy dressing), insalata di riso (rice, ham, mozzarella, grilled vegetables, green pea), caprese (cow mozzarella, tomato, basil pesto) and frittelle di cavolfiore (cauliflower fritters).
Since authentic Italian food is cooked in fresh ingredients such as herbs, Matteo said that it has been a challenge at first. However, he said it was also an opportunity for them to be creative in using the available ingredients on hand.
According to him, he must be flexible as a culinary expert. He said he has started training the Hyatt’s current chefs on the new culinary skills that are vital in achieving true Italian taste.
Matteo has been a part of the Hyatt brand since 2016 when he joined as chef de cuisine at the Park Hyatt Saigon’s Opera Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He then moved as the executive sou’s chef of the Grand Hyatt in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before becoming Hyatt Regency Saipan’s new Executive Chef.
“Italian food should be prepared in a certain way, simple but flavorful. It is something that I want to pass on to them”, he added. He said learning is a two-way process for him and his chefs.
“I also learned a lot from them,” he said.
Matteo’s desserts are also one to watch out for as they are equally delicious. It is so good that even a person who is not a fan of sweets, cakes and pastries will find it hard not to get tempted to try.
Matteo can do it all.
