Down To Earth
The man behind the one-Michelinstarred Buona Terra and the secret to accomplishing great gnocchi.
MY MEMORY ISN’T always the best. But as easy as it is to forget what I had for lunch yesterday, I’ve found it incredibly difficult to forget my experience at Buona Terra. It’s been over a year, and till this day, I still think of the carbonara, cooked in a homemade Parmesan stock and coated in butter, crispy guanciale and truffle. And oh, how I’d kill for another plate of that creamy squid ink risotto that came with a beautifully grilled Carabinero.
At Buona Terra (which translates to ‘good earth’), food is simple, but it isn’t simply ingredients on a plate. For the past nine years or so, its chef, Denis Lucchi, has been turning traditional Italian cooking on its head, injecting his idea of contemporary fun. Nothing is mere decoration and there is no dish that you would wrinkle your nose at or shrug off as irrelevant. As the squid ink risotto proved to show, his food borders on rustic and yet is so idealised, it haunts your gastronomic memory.
Brescia, a city in Lombardy, is where Lucchi is from. He spent his formative years playing football and exploring the outdoors, and was cared for by his grandmother. She’d cook for him and his brother every day, which meant a hearty spread of fresh pasta and braised meat, shared by the entire family. Food was always a big deal, but little did he know he’d become a chef. He enrolled in culinary school at 14 and had his first taste of fine dining right after national service. A sixmonth stint in London (to learn English) became the heart of a culinary endeavour.
He spent years at some of the best restaurants in London and Rome before the need to leave his comfort zone came calling. He found his way to Singapore and worked at Gattopardo and Garibaldi, two very good Italian restaurants, before discovering his place at Buona Terra in 2012, his chance to captain a restaurant for the first time. Lucchi, who speaks with a twang of Singlish and lives in the east with his wife and two children, will have reached his 10th year by 2022. When asked how he’d celebrate, he replies that all he wants is to open a bottle of wine, with his wife by his side.
What does cooking mean to you?
Denis Lucchi (DL): It is a way of expressing myself. When I’m creating food, it feels like I am giving a piece of myself to the diner, just like how an artist feels when they paint. Being a chef is a way of life rather than a job.
How have you and your cooking philosophy evolved over the years?
DL: As I grow older, I understand more about what I want and I am less concerned about what other people do. Back then (in the early years of my career), I focused on making my dishes complex rather than working on the flavours. I didn’t see beauty in simplicity and instead overcomplicated my dishes just to impress the diners. With experience, I’ve grown more confident in my cuisine and identity. I have also gained greater clarity and a deeper sense of responsibility and maturity, especially in the kitchen. There may be some tense moments, but I’ve learnt to control my temper and to direct the kitchen in the way it should be run. It’s like an
orchestra that depends on the conductor to set the tone, unify the team and control the pacing. Everything needs to be in perfect harmony.
How do you balance your identity with the necessity to please the Singaporean palate?
DL: At the beginning, I wanted to please as many people as I could. But over time, I found my direction and went with it, keeping an open mind. Disappointment is part and parcel of the experience.
What is your recipe for being the man of the kitchen at Buona Terra and at home?
DL: My recipe is to lead by example. It’s the same at home, except I don’t have a team of people working for me. Instead, my wife and I share responsibilities and strive to be role models for our children.
If you could live life again, what would you be and why?
DL: I like my life and would choose to do everything all over again.