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BALTHAZAR CHEFS
They are Italian, they are young and always ready for a chat, they are an integral part of the big Balthazar family. They are always ready to prepare customised dishes even if they are not on the menu and never say no even to those who arrive out of the normal lunch and dinner times. For chefs Balthazar is a theatre where they can show off their skills and their passions, to the delight of our customers. They are paramount in creating a friendly and unique environment: that is part of our mission.
DAVIDE CALLEGARI
I’m the head chef at Balthazar in St Moritz. I have embraced the philosophy of the restaurant since its opening and I strongly believe in the project with passion and dedication. I have been doing this job since I was 17: I gained experience abroad as a private chef and working in different restaurants but all my experiences had with a common mission: to always offer only the best. I didn’t arrive at the Balthazar by chance. I can say I chose it. And it is a choice that I would make every day. I would describe my cuisine here at Balthazar as a genuine one, a cuisine with a “home” foundation but enriched with modern influences and techniques, always in step with the times. Here at Balthazar, we are constantly on the lookout for excellent ingredients, on which we spare no expense because we like to “pamper” our customers by offering them always and only the best. Through my previous experiences around the world, I have developed an unbridled passion for always looking for new things, unique combinations and rare and exclusive “goodies”, always to be carefully combined with traditional dishes, the ones from the good old days. My signature dish is Carbocalamaro®, an integral part of the Balthazar menu for years: it is squid tagliatelle embraced by a velvety sauce made with egg yolk, parmesan and pecorino, with the kick of toasted pepper and crunchy bacon. It is a sort of carbonara with squid instead of pasta. To try at least once in a lifetime.
ANDREA FORLANI
I am 31 years old and have been a pizza maker for about 10 years. My professional adventure began when I was only 21 years old. It was my curiosity that gave me the push: I admired the art of expert pizza chefs who worked with me and I wanted to learn. So, I decided to test myself with the art of pizza, first in my spare time and then more and more seriously: until I managed to work alongside the most experienced pizza chefs with whom I was lucky enough to collaborate, learning from them the art and tricks of the trade. Among the many things you need to know about the world of pizza, the first concerns the dough: it can be made in many ways but the one I prefer is the Neapolitan type: with very little yeast and a minimum of 48 hours of leavening. After years and years of testing and experience, today I can say that the dough is the most important thing in the pizzas I prepare, at least as much as the technique for baking them. The latter is the other fundamental part of my job: no one can make a good pizza simply by putting it in the oven and waiting for it to be ready. The pizza must be followed, turned and checked throughout its cooking, to make it bake to perfection and to be removed from the heat only when it is ready to be eaten. Enjoy your meal!