The Castellana San Giovanni restaurant is located in the exclusive setting of the Monastery of San Giovanni di Saluzzo: the winning formula of high regional cuisine.
After the success of the prestigious Castellana Restaurant in Hong Kong, the starred chef Marco Sacco and entrepreneur Matteo Morello return to play at home with the winning formula of Piedmontese haute cuisine. Their new restaurant is called Castellana San Giovanni and opened a few days ago in Saluzzo (Cuneo) in a unique location that represents one of Italy’s most prestigious historical heritage sites: the ancient monastery of San Giovanni. The name Castellana is inspired by the female mask typical of the Saluzzo Carnival, Matteo Morello’s hometown, and intends to represent the strong bond with this territory and its popular traditions. Also part of the new project’s team is the Saluzzo entrepreneur Gianfranco Devalle.
The premises of the Castellana San Giovanni restaurant
It is a charming environment dating back to the 15th century capable of evoking atmospheres full of history and beauty. A splendid barrel vault with exposed bricks located just beneath the beautiful Church of San Giovanni will welcome guests who can appreciate refined cuisine imbued with passion, experience, and innovation, with extreme attention to the quality of raw materials. Access to the restaurant during the day will allow those who wish to visit the enchanting Gothic cloister of the church, the conference and events room “Antico Refettorio dei Frati,” a culinary place since the 1400s, or to make use of the already existing Hotel de Charme San Giovanni Resort.
The cuisine of the Castellana San Giovanni restaurant
“The Saluzzo territory offers high-quality agri-food products , says Matteo Morello, and the goal of Castellana San Giovanni will be precisely to bring them to the table, enhancing them through the renowned cooking of Chef Marco Sacco. For me, it’s a great emotion, after years of experience abroad, to be able to return to invest in my country and my territory with this new restaurant which I hope will become a reference point for Piedmontese haute cuisine and beyond.”
The dishes of the Castellana San Giovanni restaurant
Few dishes, rich in content, story, and culture. All in a contemporary key, but well rooted in the territory at the foot of Monviso. The chef’s idea is precisely to enhance the immense culinary heritage that stretches from the valleys of Monviso, the Po, and the Varaita, to the Grana and Maira valleys, cradles of Castelmagno and Grana cheeses. In the plains, instead, are the best livestock farms with their excellent meats and hams made in Cuneo, along with the area’s fruit growing. Lastly, the fish from the rivers of the Saluzzo valleys, which are part of the local culinary tradition and a distinctive feature of the chef. Barolo and truffles? Unmissable.
A wide choice, from the Marchesato menu, 4/7 courses (price starting from 50 euros for 4 courses up to 80 euros for 7 courses) reinterpret some of the historic dishes of Saluzzo and surroundings, to the Piccolo Lago menu in Saluzzo, also with 4/7 courses (price starting from 80 euros for 4 courses up to 110 euros for 7 courses) which, characterized not only by the repertoire of the historic Piccolo Lago restaurant with iconic dishes such as Bettelmatt Flan, Trout, Black garlic or Carbonara au koque, but will also add the experience of Piano35, the highest restaurant in Italy, where the chef has created for his guests a tasting journey that reinterprets the best Piedmontese tradition from Vitello tonnato to Ravioli di Torino. Taking inspiration from the Turin format, a bistro menu with à la carte dishes will also be available for lunch at Castellana San Giovanni, also present in the evening offer as an alternative to tasting menus.
The chefs of the Castellana San Giovanni restaurant
“From Hong Kong where the best representation of Piedmontese haute cuisine was appreciated by an international audience always hungry for novelty, the Castellana challenge arrives in Saluzzo, a city that inspired and continues to inspire my cuisine and Matteo’s business project, says Marco Sacco. An important milestone, representing the beginning of a much broader path. We actually want to replicate the Castellana model in the major cities of the world.”
Joining the chef in this second venture, Enrico Degani, former Executive Chef at Castellana in Hong Kong, a young talent from Piedmont with a resume full of international experiences, who will lead the kitchen with the goal of replicating the success of the Asian format.
The sommelier of the Castellana San Giovanni restaurant
The sommelier of Castellana will be Mirko Galasso, another young talent in the restaurant field who boasts several important collaborations including the one with Chef Marco Sacco with whom he worked at Piano 35 in Turin.
