Female Chef Presents Traditional Italian Cuisine

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

When it comes to Italian dishes, most Koreans simply think of a few kinds of pizza or spaghetti. But Anita Bidini, chef at the Millennium Seoul Hilton's Italian restaurant, advises people to try something different to explore the true diversity of Italian cuisine.

``They should start to change. They need to try something different,'' Bidini told The Korea Times at Il Ponte. ``For example, there are even thousands of different kinds of pizzas and spaghettis, depending on the region in Italy.''

To help diners indulge in various Italian cuisines, Bidini features daily specials and holds regular promotional events to introduce new dishes every month. In the monthly special menu, available for the last two weeks in each month, she features regional specialties or offers a range of dishes with different regional ingredients.

Until the end of the month, guests can taste the rich and creamy cannelloni, and next month, she plans to present regional dishes from southern Italy.

Despite the diversity, however, she said Italian cuisine's main attraction lies in its simplicity.

``They are simple and healthy. We use natural things such as vegetables, olive oil and tomatoes. They give a better taste to dishes. So we can have them every day (in Italy),'' she said.