an ode to ocean | a culinary ballet by the atlantic

British cuisine has long carried an unfortunate reputation, but a new wave of Scottish chefs is working hard to rewrite the narrative, one innovative dish at a time.

Serendipity. Coined in the 18th century, the word captures the essence of discovering something valuable by chance. It’s an apt metaphor for the unexpected journeys of some of Scotland’s most exciting culinary voices. In a country where free university education has encouraged many young Scots to pursue traditional careers in law or medicine, not everyone finds their place in those expected paths.

So what happens when someone dares to diverge? Sometimes, extraordinary things. Think Michelin stars. A radical rethinking of how we engage with food, from sustainability and waste to local sourcing and seasonality. A quiet revolution is underway, and for Schön! alive, we speak with the three chefs — Adam Handling MBE, Neil Campbell, and Mark Donald — who are three culinary innovators in their thirties and redefining what British food can be. 

photography. Jason Alfred Palmer
Frog by Adam Handling
34-35 Southampton St,
London, United Kingdom
frogbyadamhandling.com

Adam Handling MBE Chef Owner, Adam Handling Collection

At 36, Handling is (by a slim margin) the youngest of our Scottish chefs and could be described as something of an overachiever. Amongst numerous accolades, he’s been awarded an MBE by King Charles for services to hospitality and international trade, an honour that made him “cry my little eyes out”, and owns a string of successful restaurants, pubs and an art gallery, amongst them the Michelin-starred Frog by Adam Handling. Given this, you’d never guess that the chef comes from a family not the least bit interested in food. “I didn’t go to a single restaurant my entire childhood,” he recalls. “It was one-pot wonder kind of things. You sit, you eat, you go.”

Hailing from Dundee, which he describes as “probably the worst area in Scotland”, his mother was very keen for him to take up a free university place but, by his own admission, the young Handling was “a pain in the arse as a child. I was Satan. I wasn’t good at school. I was always in trouble.” His father (who has since become his “biggest cheerleader”) stepped in and suggested an apprenticeship, “something I could maybe master,” Handling explains. “If I got a painter and decorator apprentice, I guarantee you I’d be doing that – same as a mechanic, same as whatever.”

As serendipity would have it, at 16, Handling landed a place as the first apprentice chef at Gleneagles. “I wish I had a romantic story about growing up under my grandmother’s table, but when I went to Gleneagles, it was just an opportunity to leave school,” he admits. Nonetheless, he “loved the aggression in the kitchen, the camaraderie,” and, before long, his nose was buried deep in books like ‘Repertoire de la Cuisine’ and ‘Larousse Gastronomique’.

Handling went on to become the Fairmont Group’s youngest ever Head Chef and acquire countless accolades – often prefaced with ‘youngest ever’ – before opening his first restaurant, The Frog E1, in 2016. His interests extend to fine art, with an annually changing display at Frog, and a gallery situated just across the road in the five-story townhouse that is also home to his labs and offices. This passion for collecting art is another happy accident, which stemmed from a response to one of Tracey Adams’ paintings and has since become one of the “four legs of the table” he uses to describe the pillars of his restaurants: “food, alcohol, art and music”.

His face is by now familiar to the wider British public, having been a regular on popular TV shows such as ‘MasterChef Professionals’ and ‘Great British Menu’, where the country’s top up-and-coming chefs compete. However, only three years ago, the judges on the latter were questioning his waste reduction policies and his commitment to using local produce (why eschew imports like lemons and limes if it adds the required zing?). It seems Handling’s philosophies were still niche in 2022. He did go on to win the show’s coveted title of ‘Champions of Champions’ the following year, so maybe it’s a moot point.

Lobster Wagyu.
Frog by Adam Handling
photography. Justin de Souz

Fish Belly Cracker.
Frog by Adam Handling
photography. Justin de Sou

Today, Handling is unrepentant. British ingredients are what he is all about, especially at Frog. Unlike his other venues, which are very much about the produce of the immediate surroundings, Frog is a celebration of food from across the British Isles, fused with international influences taken from the multicultural metropolis that is London. He calls it “sustainable luxury”.

By sustainable – a word he thinks should be replaced with ‘tomorrow’ – he doesn’t mean zero waste, a term he believes is misleading because, “No restaurant in the world will become zero waste. There’s always a by-product.” His approach is to stretch an ingredient as far as possible. “It’s about going directly to the farms and buying the whole animal – whatever the size, it doesn’t’ matter – whole everything.” While bones can be used to make sauces and broths, Handling goes a step further by then turning them into vodka for his bars.

Before embarking on Frog’s set menu, guests are given an array of beautifully presented ‘snacks’ (“I don’t use the word canapés, because I’m not French,” Handling states). These are constructed from by-products of the main dishes, in order to change perceptions of what the word ‘waste’ means: “I have to make the waste look even more pretty to be able to shake Britain down.” The beauty of his collection is that ingredients can be shared between the venues; a considered approach that takes a year of menu planning and ensures that little is wasted. There are also two sites – one in Cornwall and one in Windsor – where produce is grown, including orchards that provide all the group’s fruit.

Chocolate, almond, cherries.
Frog by Adam Handling
photography. Justin de Souza

Foraging is integral and occurs in unexpected places. His 300-odd-person team doesn’t just take to the Cornish coasts and countryside (where his Ugly Butterfly restaurant and Tartan Fox pub are based), but also to the bounty of the Hackney Marshes in London, where “all year round there are things out there, which is absolutely stunning.” “If it’s not British, we don’t use it,” Handling continues. Instead of vanilla, there’s foraged woodruff and meadowsweet. Pineapple is replaced with pineapple weed, a version of wild camomile, and coconut with gorse. “You’re not going to have the same texture,” Handling explains, “but you’re going to have the same flavour to be playing a round with.”

There is a limited window of four to six weeks to forage any crop but when the time is right, Handling’s team will sometimes gather hundreds of kilos of the stuff – depending on their needs. “It’s a beautiful little ecosystem, but it’s a very quiet ecosystem,” the Chef Owner tells us. “We don’t keep shouting, ‘Look what we do! Look what we do!’ I just feel like people nowadays should be cooking in this way.”

ROVI
59-65 Wells St
London, United Kingdom
ottolenghi.co.uk

Neil Campbell. Executive Chef, Ottolenghi Group

Campbell grew up on the Isle of Skye, watching his grandfather fish for langoustines and his father hunt for deer, thus giving him a natural connection with the provenance of the food on his table. But, like Handling, working in kitchens as a teenager was just a way to earn a bit of cash, and yet, before long, he was “captivated” by “the energy, the precision and the creativity”. He’s worked with greats like Bruno Loubert and Raymond Blanc OBE, but it was ‘down under’ that he really discovered his calling. “There’s something incredibly dynamic about the Australian food scene and Sydney has always been a melting pot of cultures and fresh ideas. Australia was a chance to break free from tradition. It gave me the opportunity to take risks and to experiment with ingredients in ways I hadn’t before,” he recalls. “It was there that I fully committed to becoming a chef – not just because it was something I was good at – but because it was something that gave me purpose.”

The Ottolenghi restaurants, meanwhile, are known for their Middle Eastern influences, but Campbell’s Scottish heritage is not an irrelevance; it remains integral to his approach. “Scotland’s landscape provides an incredible amount of inspiration with its ingredients that are unique and full of character,” he confirms. “I love to bring those flavours to the menus, often in unexpected ways. I think there’s a beautiful connection between the two cultures. You might find me using Scottish ingredients like venison, Crowdie cheese or Hebridean seaweed alongside Ottolenghi’s signature spices.

Red Knobbly Pumpkin Muhammara,
maple walnuts, spice oil.
Neil Campbell, ROVI
opposite
Braised Beef Featherblade,
fava bean, quince amba.
Neil Campbell, ROVI

It’s about finding that harmony between where I’ve come from and where I am now.” While it’s not meat-free, vegetables are “the heart and soul of the menu” at ROVI, one of the restaurants under Campbell’s care: “We take a very creative approach, using techniques like fermentation, roasting and grilling to elevate them beyond the usual expectation of taste and texture. We believe they deserve to be celebrated as much as any other ingredient.”

A farm-to-fork philosophy supports small-scale, ethical suppliers, which Campbell regularly visits to gain insider knowledge of every ingredient’s origin. Outside of the restaurant, he has his own kitchen garden where he advocates the importance of soil health. And then there’s fermentation, which he says “plays a huge role in our cooking at ROVI. We see it as a way to connect with traditional food practices while creating something new.

In terms of sustainability, we use every part of the produce we work with, from root to stem. My goal is always to get as close to zero waste as we can while still delivering the quality and flavour our guests expect. My very first meeting with Yotam [Ottolenghi], I showed up with three of my own home-made kombucha mixes, and the rest is history.” As Executive Chef, Campbell oversees ROVI and NOPI, as well as heading up global growth projects. His current focus is on the new restaurant opening in Geneva early this year.

It’s the group’s first venue outside of the UK but will “carry the same ethos, while bringing in a unique local influence,” Campbell reveals. “We’re really looking forward to drawing inspiration from the rich culinary heritage of Geneva and Switzerland. Geneva is a city known for its highend dining culture, so we’re excited to introduce something new to the scene – something that feels both familiar and fresh at the same time.”

The Glenturret Lalique
Glenturret Distillery, The, Hosh,
Crieff, United Kingdom
theglenturretrestaurant.com
photography. Marc Millar

Mark Donald. Executive Chef, The Glenturret Lalique

It’s clear when speaking with the self-effacing and jocular Donald that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. However, one thing he does take very seriously is his food, and this is something that’s paid off in spades.

In 2021, he took on the launch of The Glenturret Lalique in Perthshire, the first restaurant in the world to be based in a whiskey distillery (arguably the oldest working whiskey distillery, dating back to 1763) and, the next year, secured its first Michelin star, followed by a second star in 2023. Yet, he still describes himself as “just a wee guy”, and here he’s referring to his “clout” in the restaurant world, rather than his 6’ 2” height.

Like Handling, Donald was expected to attend university. He had the grades but wanted to be an actor and was lined up for an audition at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He never showed up. It was only supposed to be a summer job – and washing dishes in a Glaswegian pub doesn’t sound like the sexiest of callings – but Donald had become hooked by the adrenaline, banter and creativity of the kitchen.

In the next few years, he worked at more esteemed establishments such as Stravaigin and Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, but his travels also took him to Hibiscus in London (where he met his Australian wife Madeleine), Noma in Copenhagen and Sydney, where he became Head Chef at Bentley.

Shortbread Tea Cake Chocolates.
Mark Donald, The Glenturret Lalique
photography. Marc Millar

Yet, home continued to pull on his heart strings. “Australia is nice, but it isn’t like real life for me sometimes. Scotland’s a bit more raw. You’ve got ten types of rain!” he laughs. He wasn’t just pining for wet weather: “I missed a lot of the produce. I had to go away and cut my teeth in some of the best kitchens in the world to realise what was on my doorstep.” And so, Donald and Madeleine returned to bonnie Scotland.

It was during the pandemic, “You know, the winter lockdown; the really sh*t lockdown”, that the chef was approached about opening a restaurant in a distillery in the Highlands. It didn’t sound promising. He envisioned “cookie-cutter” stereotypes of “shortbread tins, tartan, Nessie, whiskey, heavy cream sauces, haggis bonbons, blah, blah, blah”, but, he went to take a look, because – being furloughed from his role at Number One at The Balmoral in Edinburgh – he simply had nothing better to do: “I mean, no one in their right mind would leave a 100% paying job to open a restaurant in a whiskey distillery – which had never been done before – apart from maybe me,” he admits, “or someone who wanted to take a chance.”

To his surprise, Donald fell in love with the landscape, but also realised that the people behind the venture had two Michelin stars in France and might actually know what they were doing. Importantly, he was pretty much given carte blanche to create the menu and “f*cking obliterate all of the expectations”.

Raw Langoustine, buttermilk, green juice.
Mark Donald, The Glenturret Lalique
photography. Marc Millar

Whiskey, of course, needed to play a part, but Donald has taken a highly creative approach: “It’s not like a venue where I can just pair whiskey with the courses, because you’re going to end up trying to start a fight with the person who’s serving you!” Instead, he immersed himself in the whiskey-making process, learning about fermentation and how complex carbohydrates are turned into sugars.

In the kitchen, these are reduced into a barley molasses that is spread on bread or used instead of sugar or treacle. Ingredients are smoked over peat, rather than charcoal. The barley is also turned into malted bread or replaces soybeans in soy sauce and Shio koji. “By the end of it, every course – 17 serves – has something underpinning it that we might not even mention on the menu. It’s very nuanced. It’s not rammed down your throat. It’s not Malt Disneyland.” Again, it’s about using the ingredients on your doorstep, which in Donald’s case include some of the finest and freshest shellfish in the world, quality dairy produce, wild game and Scottish Wagyu.

The wet weather is even an advantage when growing “things like strawberries and raspberries. The natural sugars have a chance to grow, in comparison to hotter countries where they’re grown in polytunnels and don’t taste of anything.”

Raspberry Liver.
Mark Donald, The Glenturret Lalique
photography. Marc Mill

And then there are the mushrooms: ceps, girolles, St. George’s, Trompette de la Mort, and more, which Donald forages on The Glenturret’s grounds, together with treats like wild garlic, leeks, flowers, herbs, cherries and sloes – the latter of which are used in the homemade gin. He describes in detail the process of making mugolio, a “moreish” pine flavoured syrup. “It’s not just like, ‘How can I get some maple syrup?’ We have something of our own,” but stresses that the produce is “hyper seasonal. I’m not going to say I’m René Redzepi and everything is from a ten-mile radius. You can’t grow turnips here in certain parts of the year or it’s too cold to grow potatoes sometimes. I can’t get Scottish lemons. So, the menu is dictated by quality of ingredients, rather than provenance. However, I’m very fortunate to have a lot at my fingertips.”

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words. Huma Humayun

Founded on a creed of elevated simplicity, Toklas’ exquisite menus, wines and events have distinguished the Mediterranean restaurant as a London hot spot. From launching its first edition of cuvées last year to hosting monthly wine tastings and decadent gatherings, Toklas has cultivated a steadfast community of art and food aficionados since it opened in 2021. Established by Frieze Art Fair cofounders Matthew Slotover OBE and Amanda Sharp, hints of the pair’s artistic leanings are reflected in Toklas’ decor and scrumptious treats by head chef Chris Shaw. In recognition of the restaurant’s ingenuity, we spoke to Slotover and Toklas’ head of beverages Agustina Basilico about their extensive wine list, forays into the art world and collaboration with Turner Prize-winning artist and friend Lubaina Himid CBE. 

“Amanda and I met when we were 18 and discussed opening a restaurant before we talked about doing Frieze,” begins Slotover. “It’s a fascinating industry that I wanted to learn about and hopefully contribute to.” Today, his restaurant neighbours prestigious art and culture institutions like Somerset House and The Courtauld Gallery, while simultaneously holding its own unique ties to the art world. The first clue is in the establishment’s name — a nod to writer and primo bohemian Alice B. Toklas. Together with her partner, the celebrated novelist Gertrude Stein, Alice threw intricate dinner parties in Paris for some of the greatest artists of the early 20th century. 

Toklas’ art connections deepen as you enter the restaurant and spy works by acclaimed photographer Wolfgang Tillmans and painter Ragna Bley. “The restaurant’s interior design is quite purposeful,” says Basilico, pointing to a bar wall decorated with a patchwork of art posters from the last 40 years. “From artworks to posters of exhibitions, artists and curators who are our friends, the restaurant’s design has kind of become a creative outlet for us, as much as the food itself,” says Slotover. Art and wine have long conspired with one another to enhance the human experience. 

Constantly valued for their provenance, age and quality, rare wines and art are regular headliners for auctions at renowned  houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s. “I think both wine and art can be very obsessive areas,” says Slotover, who has often found that buying wine is like buying art from a gallery. “You’ve got the winemakers or artists, the buyers or collectors and then the distributors who guide you like galleries do with artists.” Wine also often accompanies life drawing, exhibition receptions, and other such events, punctuating the art market calendar. With this in mind, Toklas’ artistic flair feels like a welcome and natural pairing; much like a glass of Pinot Noir with an earthy mushroom risotto.  

Cradled within the circumference of the Strand, Toklas is a jewel in London’s coronet of dynamic food establishments. A pared-back, spacious bar, open kitchen and downstairs bakery greets guests. The ‘brasserie’ tone continues with a vintage parquet floor, Børge Mogensen chairs, emerald leather banquettes, open grill and menus designed by contemporary artist Allison Katz. Perhaps the star of the show is the restaurant’s own edition of cuvées — red, white and rosé — a trio collaboratively made by Toklas and Provence winemaker Valérie Courrèges. “Valérie is an incredible human,” says Basilico. “She was here two weeks ago for an annual wine tasting wearing fake fur and smoking cigars. She’s an icon.” 

For this first edition of cuvées, Toklas commissioned Turner Prize-winning artist Lubaina Himid CBE to paint colourful limited edition labels. “There’s a good history of artists designing wine bottles and menus,” says Slotover. He notes artists like David Hockney, who once designed the Neal Street restaurant menu, as well as a label for Château Mouton Rothschild. (The label has also been designed by artists Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Dorothea Tanning and Francis Bacon over the years). For her part, Himid used her signature palette of vibrant hues to paint rows of elegantly simplistic bottles in shades of crimson, blushing pink and citrus. “Lubaina Himid has got an incredible career,” says Basilico of the painter known for being one of the UK’s most important contributors to the British Black arts movements, and the first Black woman to win the Turner Prize. “For a female artist and female winemaker to unite like this is quite powerful in this day and age.” 

Grown from the clay and limestone soils of Cotignac, each cuvée comes with its own taste profiles and pairings. The ‘Toklas White Edition’, for instance, is reportedly fresh and supple with notes of mandarin and lemon. Each wine’s rounded character speaks of the precision and care behind its production. “We strongly believe that chemical additives are wrong, whether they’re included in the growing or making process,” says Slotova. “So, we wanted to partner with winemakers who care about sustainability, from the grapes to the long-term quality of the soil.” The cuvées sit nicely alongside Toklas’ expansive collection of largely sustainably produced natural wines. “The term natural wine is quite broad, and there are a million books by a million wine writers trying to describe what natural wine is,” says Basilico. “For me, it’s wine that is alive and clean. If you have sensitive taste buds, you can taste the minerality of the grapes’ birthplace.” Crafted using sustainable, organic, biodynamic or regenerative methods, these natural wines are marked by a • symbol on the menu. 

Together with Finnish sommelier Heidi Mäkinen, Basilico has almost tripled the wine list since she first arrived at Toklas. “Heidi has a traditional palette, and I try to push the boundaries to keep us on trend with London’s wine landscape,” she says. The result is an emporium of contemporary and traditional wines that can sometimes be served from kegs, reducing the wine’s carbon footprint by 75%. Originally from Argentina, Basilico has resisted the urge to place more than one Malbec on the menu (a traditionally full-bodied, dark-coloured red wine made from Argentina’s signature grape variety). “I’ve only added one edition,” says Basilico. “Our menu doesn’t include red meat, so there’s no need for a heavy wine.” 

While Toklas’ bakery has been noted by Timeout magazine for its breakfast viennoiserie of flaky croissants, pain au chocolat and cardamom buns, the restaurant’s Mediterranean-infused cuisine deserves its own ovation. “Simple food expertly cooked at Toklas will put you on a high – and that’s before you even get to the chips,” wrote renowned food critic Jay Rayner in 2022. Most recently, the restaurant hosted a series of citrus-inspired dinner parties showcasing the literal fruits of their partnership with Todolí Citrus Fundació, a foundation created for the research and conservation of citrus biodiversity. It grows over 500 varieties of citrus and was founded by none other than Spanish art curator and former Tate director Vicent Todolí. “Vicent met our founders Matthew and Amanda on the art circuit,” says Basilico. “When the partnership began, we formed a group of restaurants and split the fruits between all of us. This grew exponentially over three years, and now there are over 150 restaurants in London benefitting from Todolí citrus.” 

For its recent citrus-inspired dinner, Toklas paired segments of Todolí’s citrus fruits with dishes like wild sea bass crudo, radicchio and ricotta salata. The Spanish countryside also permeates through the bakery’s seasonal citrus salad; a festival of beetroots roasted and bathed in a dressing of their own juices, red wine vinegar and segments of Todolí’s blood oranges and grapefruits. Striking a balance between the dish’s aromatic sweetness and acidity is an art form in itself. “I often think chefs and artists have a lot in common,” says Slotova. “They take elements that have no value and create something fantastic. It’s partly about execution and partly intellectual.” 

Toklas’ holistic approach to its wine and artistic values will continue with a wine tasting on June 19th. The event is a meet-and-greet between Olly of Emile Wines: a London-based, female-founded wine importer and retailer offering authentic, largely biodynamic wines from Burgundy and the classic regions of France.

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words. Raegan Rubin

Art, food and Italy. Three simple yet delicious words bound together by centuries of heritage and artistry. Throughout the country’s history, the delicate art of gastronomy has evolved in tandem with a litany of unrivaled painters and cultural pioneers. As a tourist, it’s a wonderful thing to stumble upon a Tuscan establishment that takes all of the above to heart. The Michelin-starred Arnolfo restaurant, nestled high in the medieval town of Colle di Val d’Elsa, is such a place. Founded by chef Gaetano Trovato and managed by his brother Giovanni Trovato, the restaurant lives and breathes art. 

Named after the 13th-century sculptor and architect Arnolfo di Cambio, the restaurant dazzles guests’ eyes and taste buds with stunning views of the Chianti hills and mouthwatering pairings of exquisite food and wine. Arnolfo’s interior is equally decadent thanks to framed works by the ornate still life photographer Nicola Bertellotti, and a gallery of sculptures showcasing the restaurant’s ongoing collaboration with the contemporary iSculpture Art Gallery. Trovato and his team have curated this multisensory journey to the very last detail. We spoke to the chef about the secret behind crafting an immersive experience founded upon the region’s visual arts and historical culture. 

The Trovato brothers’ vision for Arnolfo has always been forward-thinking, and the restaurant’s design (a collaboration with architect Walter De Manincor) reflects this desire for continuous growth and innovation. The restaurant’s new home, a beautifully designed structure inaugurated in 2022, combines contemporary design with Tuscan tradition, incorporating elements like Siena yellow and the travertine of the Crete Senesi into the very fabric of the space. 

On first approaching the architectural edifice of glass walls, panoramic views and marbled stone, the Arnolfo appears altruistically modernist. However, an ornate spiral staircase and crockery embossed with swirls like stucco highlight the restaurant’s shrewd eye for detail and beauty. These charmingly decorative elements are enhanced by framed prints of fairytale courtyards reclaimed by overgrown fauna hanging on the walls. Captured by Italian fine art photographer Nicola Bertellotti, the deserted landscapes are accompanied by frames of decrepit gilded ballrooms and staircases that exude the poetic melancholy of aesthetic decay. This wondrous contrast of old and new expresses the beauty of impermanence — a sentiment reminding guests of the palatial grandeur of Italy’s past and to treasure the here and now. 

Like with Arnolfo’s interior, the restaurant’s chef Trovato blends innovation with the fruits of Italy’s heritage and countryside in his food. This merging of visual art and cuisine is especially evident in the restaurant’s seasonal tasting menus. The “Contemporary Moments” menu, for example, features fresh, innovative dishes that speak to the artistry of Trovato’s cooking. In contrast, the “Territory and Research” menu delves into the rich game and foraged produce of the surrounding hills, offering a deep connection to the land itself. “The values of transparency, innovation and balance that my brother Giovanni and I have inherited from our family are among those we have adopted in my kitchen,” says Trovato. “Our aim is to convey quality without glitz.” With this in mind, he carefully crafts each dish to evoke a particular journey, offering diners an opportunity to engage with food not just as sustenance, but as an art form.

Chef Trovato is particularly involved in the visual aspects of dining, arranging fresh flowers each morning and thoughtfully curating the table settings. This attention to detail is a reflection of the restaurant’s philosophy: that every aspect of the dining experience, from the food to the environment, should work in concert to create an immersive sensory experience. The food at Arnolfo is presented as “Edible Architecture,” with each plate a piece of art that embodies balance, seasonality, and elegance.

Chef Trovato’s cooking journey spans from Sicily to Colle di Val d’Elsa. His training in some of Europe’s finest kitchens and relationships with local suppliers are reflected in the bold, inventive dishes he prepares. “What we offer is simple and honest taste. Our traditional approach to pastry making optimizes the characteristics of the main ingredients, revisiting classic methods, then, by adding secondary ingredients we create new and surprising sensorial experiences.”

Giovanni Trovato, who serves as the restaurant’s manager and head sommelier, plays an equally integral role in this artistic dining experience. Under his hand, Arnolfo’s wine list has grown to serve as a bridge between past traditions and contemporary sensibilities. The key to cultivating the restaurant’s curated selection of over 600 wines (many of which are limited editions) is building long-standing relationships with some of the finest producers of Chianti. Behind each label is a rich history of the region’s wine-making families and the methods defining their craft. This dedication to artisanal wine-making aligns perfectly with chef Trovato’s philosophy of honouring the terroir, or the unique characteristics of the land, in every dish. Seeing the wines and their dish pairings as veritable works of art, Arnolfo offers guests the opportunity to indulge in the tastes of Tuscany as well as the culture that has shaped these wines for generations.

On par with its celebration of cultural and modern artistry, Arnolfo shares a special relationship with the contemporary art scene, most notably through its collaboration with Sensi Arte, a gallery located in nearby Siena and Colle Val D’Elsa. Like the restaurant, Sensi Arte’s mission is to blend tradition with innovation, and its host of sculptures incorporates traditional materials like ceramics, bronze, marble and wood. Whether it is the art of winemaking, the design of a dish, or the gallery’s exhibitions, the gallery and restaurant are fostering a dialogue between different forms of artistic expression. 

Whether it’s the sculptures that adorn the walls or the carefully crafted plates that emerge from the kitchen, the fusion of food and art at Arnolfo is a celebration of both the visual and the culinary. It’s here that antique furnishings and contemporary art pieces coexist in harmony. For those looking to experience the intersection of art and food, Arnolfo in Colle di Val d’Elsa offers a truly remarkable journey — one that goes beyond the plate and into the heart of Tuscany’s artistic soul.

words. Raegan Rubin