A sustainable comeback for "Don Alfonso 1890": authentic avant-garde and green approach tell the story of the Iaccarino Family of yesterday and today, close to the picturesque Sorrento Coast.
Photo credits: Stefano Scatà
Living Don Alfonso 1890 means living the Iaccarino Family: Livia, Alfonso, Ernesto and Mario. It means living their dream, starting from their challenges to the team that accompanies them every day to make this project majestic. A family story that, after fifty years, still exudes authenticity, strength but above all, avant-garde.
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT DON ALFONSO 1890?
A year's break in which ideas took over to propose to date a version of Don Alfonso even more connected to guests and nature. But to explain what has changed, it is necessary to talk about integral ecology: room insulation, a new waste heat pump, expansion of the photovoltaic park, renewable sources, the design of cisterns to collect rainwater, and a zero waste approach to optimize waste (leftover bread and pasta goes to the farm's chickens).
Finally, a dense, lush "dry garden" with only plants that require very little water replaced an old parking lot for cars. An evolution of views always in step with the times, and perhaps even beyond. Just like when, in 1973, Livia and Alfonso left the family hotel to fully live a new challenge made of love for the land and passion.
Then joined by their sons Mario and Ernesto, they set out from Sant'Agata sui due Golfi to discover the flavors of the world, glimpse distant views and enrich their philosophy of hospitality. Evolution, according to the Iaccarino family, is a signature identity: spaghetti with fresh tomato and basil revolutionized an idea of cooking that at the time elevated the redundancy of flavors, made of fatty, thick sauces. It was a revolution by subtraction enacted by someone who first understood that the simplicity of great raw materials had to be embraced and told.
Thus was born the Don Alfonso 1890 dream: Mediterranean flair in fine dining but above all genuine products from the "Le Peracciole" farm in Punta Campanella. A narrow dirt road leads to Punta Campanella, the beating heart of the Don Alfonso 1890 world. Immersed in the nature of the Mediterranean scrubland, you reach striking views overlooking a nearby Capri, which shows itself in all its beauty. Here, seven hectares of land give life to "Le Peracciole" with its organic crops that, for over thirty years, have been the foundation of the dishes offered in the restaurant.
To this oasis on the Sorrento Peninsula, Alfonso and Livia have brought bees, to encourage the pollination process and restore a plant biodiversity that has vanished for years, as well as ladybugs to kill pests naturally. An innovative home automation system avoids water and energy waste, there are also photovoltaic panels, a system for recovering rainwater and wastewater, purified and used for irrigation, new composting systems.
Some of the products grown and made directly by the farm - from honey to evo oil to lemon liqueur - are then branded Don Alfonso 1890 and sold in the online shop, which also features Villeroy & Boch's colorful handmade porcelain, in unique pieces designed specifically for the world of Don Alfonso.
THE RESTAURANT
Ristorante Don Alfonso 1890 reflects the innovative yet respectful philosophy of the ancient coastal tradition. If Alfonso Iaccarino is its historic patron - visionary and dreamer chef and founder - Ernesto Iaccarino, Don Alfonso's chef for about twenty years, carries on his father's passion for cooking and curiosity about the world. To both, however, has always belonged that strong sense of responsibility and gratitude to the South.
Great local raw materials from small local producers or organically grown on the "Le Peracciole" estate. Avellino and Benevento for the meats (a local raw material raised in respect of animal welfare), from Positano and Sorrento instead the fresh fish. There are three tasting menus, in addition to the à la carte proposals: La Tradizione (€190); La Degustazione (€230); Vegetariano (€180). There's the smoked amberjack, in perfect sashimi cut with frozen olive, fried garlic mayonnaise and citron peel flour with fava bean smoothie. A dish that is a child of Ernesto's Asian experience, but also of his roots, where techniques and tastes are encapsulated in a fresh, velvety taste.
Next on an Alalunga tuna sauce is the garlic, oil, chili spaghetti with soused mackerel and a shower of breadcrumbs, pine nuts, and onion. Full-bodied, enveloping, and with a myriad of textures, but with a unique flavor that sits atop the artfully cooked spaghetti.
Lots of new items on the menu, starting with the latest addition, the all-vegetarian menu. Here the choice for the signature dish becomes more difficult: there is the zucchini tartlet with smoked scamorza, lemon and honey-infused chili gel. A dish with a striking aesthetic, with the gel acting as a veil to the contents of the casket.
Definitely identifying is the cannellone: a very thin sheet of peppers made with kuzu, stuffed with their own vegetables, all in a broth of roasted peppers. An example of the "traditionally Campanian" with a reference to the "mbuttunato" (stuffed) bell pepper, but above all a tribute to the vegetable or rather "natural" cuisine of Don Alfonso 1890, who tends his land, his garden and brings it to the table.
Of course, the desserts and petit fours accompany the guest on the final leg of the journey to discover Neapolitan flavors. Precisely the guest is then the protagonist of an elegant, meticulous, at times austere yet warm and welcoming dining room service.
Distances with the Iaccarino family are shortened, in fact cancelled. You become one, an integral part of their story. This is Mario's realm; he guides and accompanies the guest like a true master of the house. His proud and reassuring gaze is joined by Livia who, discreet and with a sweet smile, lends her voice to tell a tale made of memories, successes and a present more alive than ever.
The setting is snow-white, yet at dinner the lights come on and the walls reflect a softer cream color. The herringbone floor sets the stage for the service that floats among the tables in the various rooms. Sobriety and sophistication meet the vibrant pink tones of the armchairs.
However, the dining experience would not be the same without the great wines from the extraordinary winery. The excavation that brought it to light lasted for years until it was thirty meters deep, close to a spring. A piece of history that houses nearly 27,000 bottles from all over the world for about 2,000 references with the first two chambers dating back to the 1700s, then down to the 1500s and the last tunnel from the 6th century B.C. A few meters from the water, the Iaccarino family has created a real vault set in stone where wines and cheeses are best stored.
THE DON ALFONSO 1890 BOUTIQUE HOTEL
The eight rooms (standard rooms, junior suites, suites and superior suites) are inspired by the Mediterranean flowers of the Amalfi Coast, and it is to them that the names of each are dedicated. Located within the splendid 19th-century structure, they lead into a world of colors, bright hues and sophistication combined with every comfort. The original period furnishings are set in a contemporary design project signed by local artisans.
Outside the main body of the boutique hotel is then the Casa del Poeta (it was in fact the poet Salvatore di Giacomo's), an exclusive residence with its own private entrance and romantic private garden. In the morning, guests, before enjoying the beautiful outdoor pool and the large adjacent gazebo, can immerse themselves in a breakfast that brings to the table baked goods, eggs, preserves and all the flavors of Campania's sweet and savory traditions..
Finally, among the colorful majolica tiles of Vietri, stands Don Alfonso 1890's school for teaching true Mediterranean cuisine to the facility's guests or anyone who wishes, through courses lasting a minimum of one day up to a maximum of five.
CONTACTS
Don Alfonso 1890
Corso Sant’Agata 11/13 – 80061 Massa Lubrense (NA)
Phone 0039 081 8780026
