An exclusive food and wine experience among authentic flavours, local ingredients and a cuisine that tells the soul of the Aeolian Islands.
Tenuta di Castellaro is preparing to welcome a new gastronomic experience with the opening of Castellaro Bistrot , which will officially debut on April 21. A new chapter, which confirms the vocation for excellence and the valorization of the territory, this time through a refined and innovative culinary proposal.
At the helm of the bistro will be chef Giacomo Caravello , whose modern approach to cooking is distinguished by research, evolution and a deep connection with the roots of the Sicilian territory. His philosophy is based on a contemporary vision of tradition, capable of reinterpreting authentic ingredients in an innovative way, without ever losing the connection with the essence of local cuisine. “ Energy, enthusiasm, vision and territory, these are the words that perfectly sum up the path that led us to embrace without hesitation the project of opening the new Bistrot Castellar o”, says Caravello, from Milazzo, born in 1989, already at La Montecchia dagli Alajmo and with Martina Caruso at Signum from 2014 to 2018, then from 2019 at Balìce, in his hometown. “ The great work done by Massimo Lentsch in recent years on the Island of Lipari – he continues – has demonstrated the foresight to believe in a unique place in the world, to which I am strongly linked due to geographical proximity and career path. Our idea is to talk about the territory, in the dish, in the atmosphere and in the volcanic energy that these islands are able to transmit. For me, an exciting challenge, as a chef, as an entrepreneur and as an adopted son of this archipelago. We can’t wait to welcome you” .
A sensory journey between territory and seasonality
The menu of Castellaro Bistrot – open for lunch for tasting and light lunch and for dinner with an à la carte menu – is a tribute to the biodiversity of the Aeolian archipelago, with a careful selection of local and seasonal raw materials. The dishes are built around central elements of the Aeolian gastronomic tradition , enhanced by modern techniques and creative combinations. Capers, datterini tomatoes, wild fennel, basil, red prawns, lobster pot prawns, aubergines, mussels, almonds : these are some of the fundamental ingredients on which the proposal will revolve, very representative of the territory and the idea of cuisine of the Bistrot Castellaro.
An immersive experience between wine and cuisine
Castellaro Bistrot is the perfect place for a complete food and wine experience, where the labels of Tenuta di Castellaro, Massimo Lentsch’s Etna DOC and some of the most representative French Vignerons blend harmoniously with the culinary proposals of chef Caravello. Each course is designed to enhance the characteristics of the wines, creating pairings studied to enhance aromas, flavors and structure.
The opening of the bistro represents a further step in Tenuta di Castellaro’s commitment to offering quality, capable of involving guests in a journey that celebrates the landscape, culture and tradition of the Aeolian Islands.
A designer bistro
Built in collaboration with architects Michele Giannetti and Alessandro Dalpiaz of the Hamburg-based Dalpiaz Giannetti Architekten studio, Bistrot Castellaro takes up the same architectural form as the mushroom-shaped pillars of the cellar, with columns made of polystyrene formwork. The elements of the formwork, transformed into art installations by artist Luigi Radici, enrich the space of the barrel cellar, as do the walls he customized. The elevator functions as a wind tower, while an outdoor open kitchen creates a welcoming and refined atmosphere, perfect for preparing dishes. Tenuta di Castellaro : Where the sun sets straight down to the sea and the age-old tradition of sapling cultivation is passed on, Tenuta di Castellaro stands on volcanic soil, a monument dedicated to nature, culture and architecture. The wine project, closely linked to the historical and landscape context, tells the story of a unique territory like Lipari, the main of the Aeolian Islands. There are 24 hectares of vineyards for about 70 thousand bottles a year and a modern cutting-edge cellar, as well as a wine resort and the geo-mineral park of the Caolino Caves, cleaned and reclaimed to make it available to the community: Tenuta di Castellaro is a unique and complex reality, which has always lived a natural approach to viticulture, using organic and vegan protocols. The wild charm of this corner of the world, uncontaminated, remote and magnetic has bewitched the Lentsch family from Bergamo, who in 2005 decided to undertake a great winemaking and landscape project: to preserve, enhance and make known the beauty of this place, safeguarding its traditions and peculiarities, giving life to wines made from native island grapes, starting from Malvasia delle Lipari and Corinto Nero, which are pure extract of a territory.