"Only Substance Endures." For almost sixty years, the Cerea family has lived the dream of total excellence in what is Italy's three-star plus three-star establishment. It shows just how deep comfort can go, right to the heart of the guest and the ingredients.
Cover photo: Fabrizio Pato Donati
The question of what substance truly is has puzzled philosophers for millennia. Certainly, it's matter, roughly aligned with Aristotle's concept of form; but it's also a stable and strong identity, rooted in history, whose permanence is attested by common perception. It falls with a sudden philosophical thud into the words of Chicco Cerea, usually low-key, as he reflects on his family's history: "Only substance endures." That "substance" represents both the excellence of unparalleled raw ingredients, a hallmark of Da Vittorio, and a blend of dream, determination, and tireless dedication to work, ingrained in the family's DNA.
The story
Chicco Cerea, the frontman of the Cerea brothers, almost gets emotional as he recalls the many prophecies of his father. In 1966, along with his wife Bruna, the elder Cerea was the first to bring fish to the foothills of the Orobie Alps in a modest trattoria acquired with great effort after a previous business failure. They almost had to shut down because fish bones and shells were intimidating at a time when meat had become a symbol of prosperity. But he believed in his vision, just as he believed in that tomato pasta dish, inspired by his early travels to America with his wife and, in particular, by the fettuccine Alfredo they tasted at a restaurant. "They're beautiful, they're tasty. But I’d like them with oil and tomatoes," he said.
This was a gamble that seemed to leapfrog into modern times, when rediscovering everyday Italian cuisine is almost taken for granted. Yet back then, his vision faced criticism, especially in an upscale setting and at that price. Today, it’s a contemporary classic, imitated worldwide.
It was Vittorio, Chicco continues, who broke through the barriers of catering and banqueting, which today are core business areas for the company. Although many people thought it was almost disreputable at first, they've since changed their minds. And then came the latest breakthrough: the Cantalupa, opened in 2005 after the restaurant in Bergamo had to close due to a dispute with a bank. "He just managed to see it before he passed away, but I remember him saying to me, 'I would never go back.' He realized that only in a larger space could we all stay together in this new adventure. Everything we are today, it's thanks to him."
"Cerea's Empire"
“Everything that they are today” is not easily summarizable: there's the three-star restaurant since 2010, housed in what is now a Relais & Châteaux with ten rooms; but there's also the historic Caffè Pasticceria Cavour 1880 in Città Alta, which also has more rooms; restaurants in Shanghai, Paris, St. Moritz, Portofino, Milan, and Bergamo, totaling 9 Michelin stars; and then there are the consulting services, the DaV Pastry Lab, the Academy, the events, and "Vicook," the second business branch dedicated to collective catering. Altogether, they have 780 employees, reaching nearly 1,000 when considering international operations.
At the heart of it all, however, is still Da Vittorio, where Chicco, Bobo, and brother-in-law Paolo Rota work full-time in the kitchen, aided by sous-chef Giambattista Bergamelli; Rossella and sommelier Fabrizio Sartorato handle the dining area, alongside maître d's Nicola di Lisa and Alessandro Zana. This is where substance begins, with a lavish approach to sourcing, a legacy of the founder, who would wake up with Chicco at three in the morning to secure the largest sea bass and the finest artichokes at the market. "And he would even pay double, because he believed there'd always be someone willing to recognize their value."
As lavish as it is, this is just the beginning of a culinary experience that is as generous as it is inclined toward classicism, yet fully contemporary in its techniques and concepts, playful elements, and Eastern influences. "What's the future of cuisine? For me, it's about balancing taste and flavor with well-being and lightness. Especially after COVID, people need certainties." In reality, these dishes connect on an emotional level with guests, offering sometimes irresistible indulgence, showing how wide and intricate the so-called comfort zone can be—certainly with its boundaries, but capable of delving deep, right to the heart.
Da Vittorio's Dishes
Appetizers that whet the appetite and curiosity include the fried egg with egg white foam, shrimp coral, foie gras cherry, and casoncelli-stuffed olive in oil. Soon, guests will also be able to enjoy a selection of meat, fish, or vegetable skewers under the Berber tent in the garden, accompanied by a cocktail crafted by mixologist Alessandro Zana, who oversees the American bar.
The main dishes get serious with the now-classic reinterpretation of the "Czar's egg," consisting of scrambled chicken egg, poached quail egg, salmon roe, caviar, sour cream, and potato cream. Or the more playful kohlrabi tacos with katsuobushi mayonnaise, flowers, and greens picked just a few meters away from the vertical garden set up with Planet Farm, where hydroponic cultivation allows for maximum intensity and freshness without the need for washing that could damage the textures.
The depth of comfort is illustrated by the delightful chilled angel hair pasta with caviar, following the Marchesi’s style, where the savoriness is balanced by the tangy kick of gazpacho, creating a surprise twist. Or there's the tuna pizza: the world's best tuna belly grilled and served with fermented tomato cream inside a faux crust of bread cream, evoking Neapolitan sensations.
Substance also shines in the giant grilled Sicilian prawn, served with miso foam to add saltiness to its sweetness, beetroot brunoise, and katsuobushi gel. The influence of the East has long been a part of Chicco's repertoire, especially now with frequent visits to his restaurants in China. On the Italian side, there's the risotto with guinea fowl ragout and seared foie gras on a Parmigiano base, with a touch of juniper—an irresistibly indulgent dish, leading to the inevitable cheese cart and baba perdu with a stir-fry of red fruits from the Bergamo region.
Contacts
Da Vittorio
Via Cantalupa, 17- 24060 Brusaporto (BG)
P. +39 035.681024
