'Real carbonara does not have cream'
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Sebastiano Giangregorio, executive Italian chef at Lotte Hotel Seoul / Courtesy of Sebastiano Giangregorio
By Kim Jae-heun
Sebastiano Giangregorio, an executive Italian chef at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, is one of the very few cooks in Korea who serves authentic Italian dishes. He prepared a luncheon for Pope Francis during his August 2014 visit and Giangregorio is the only certified Italian Cuisine Master Chief (ICMC) in the country ― which he earned in 2013.
The Italian chef has been working in Korea since 2005, consulting for Italian restaurants and cooking in Seoul, but there is one thing that he wants to correct about his motherland’s food ― Korean’s favorite Italian food, pasta a la carbonara does not have cream in it.
Giangregorio promotes authentic Mediterranean cuisine by using only imported seasonal ingredients from specific regions.
“Real Italian food is only made by an Italian chef with Italian vegetables and sauces using an Italian oven in a traditional way,” said Giangregorio during a interview with The Korea Times, Monday, at the Peninisula Italian Restaurant & Bar in the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong. “For example, balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese are only from Modena. You cannot make them in different places because of geographic and climatic circumstances.”
He believes that nationality or educational background is the most important factor for becoming an Italian cook. Giangregorio grew up in a family that has been in the restaurant business for three generations. His 27-year career is incomparable to that of his mother’s and grandfather’s 45-year and 70-year careers, respectively.
“I stayed all day at home, looking at my mother and grandfather preparing various kinds of dishes. It was a memorable experience, jumping onto a chair and tasting different sauces, which was a new world for me.
“Passion and curiosity in finding new ideas are also other necessities to becoming a chef. When I am in the market to buy seasonal materials, I never come home with only what I’ve planned to purchase in the first place. Plus, I have extra-sensitive nose and palate,” Giangregorio said.
After graduating from Scuola Alberghiera di Serramazzoni, a hotel management school in Modena, Italy, the chef started building his career at two- and three-star Michelin restaurants in Rome and moved on for new experiences to Hungary and Spain.
Giangregorio’s first destination in Asia was not Seoul but Hong Kong, where he only stayed for a year, consulting. If it were not for his Korean wife, whom he met at his cooking school in Italy, the Italian chef would never have visited Korea. Now he is planning to stay here for the rest of his life.
He is planning another decade in the hotel restaurant but his ultimate goal in Korea is to open a bed & breakfast (B&B) on Jeju Island, where he can grow Italian ingredients.
“The climate and geographic location of Jeju Island is similar to that of Italy. I will plant my own materials to cook authentic Italian food for the guests with my wife, who is also a cook,” said Giangregorio.
The Italian chef sees a bright future for Korean food, especially gimbap and bibimbap. He recalls that the Korea Pavilion at the Expo Milano 2015 was one of the most popular, as it offered a diverse Korean food experience.
“The only reason why Korean food is not so popular in Italy is because there aren’t many Korean restaurants outside Rome,” said the chef. “Italians will love Korean food because we love vegetables and healthy dishes.”