At Villa Paola, De Minimi is led by the talented Emanuele Pucci, a Calabrian chef born in 1995 who, from a culinary standpoint, has given us the impression that he is a true rising star. This is how he is contributing, along with a now large group of colleagues, to raise the culinary level of the region.
Photo of the chef on the cover: Credits Giordano Garosio
The hotel
It is a controversial region, Calabria, magnificent in its landscapes; from the coasts, with that crystal clear sea, to the wild, fascinating mountain territories, it is rich in a biodiversity unique in the world. Likewise, its enormous tourism potential is slowed by the same, well-known problems that plague hospitality throughout the Peninsula, multiplied by a more complex structural situation. This does not detract from the many happy exceptions that are emerging in the area: among them Villa Paola, a jewel of a five-star hotel, the only one in beautiful Tropea.
In the 16th century it was a monastery of the Franciscan order of Friars Minor; now it is a very elegant, charming residence with only 12 rooms. Perched on a cliff overlooking the Costa degli Dei, it has a beautiful porch that leads to the common areas and then to a stunning garden with seven terraces, where you can enjoy the tranquility or swim in the infinity pool overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the village of Old Tropea.
It is worth coming there even if only to enjoy an aperitif at sunset, since the villa for this is also open to outsiders; at that point, however, you cannot fail to stop for dinner at De' Minimi Restaurant.
The restaurant
A very elegant room in its sobriety, the service attentive and friendly, this fine dining restaurant is led by the talented Emanuele Pucci, a Calabrian chef born in 1995 who, from a gastronomic point of view, gave us the impression that he is a real rising star and wants to contribute, together with a now large group of colleagues, to raise the culinary level of the region with a dense network of small local suppliers.
Emanuele graduated from the Cosenza Hotel Institute. "Then I moved among local kitchens. I have various experiences, including stellar ones, including with Luigi Lepore. In 2019 I went to the Capo Vaticano Resort, which is under the same ownership as Villa Paola.” From there he moved on to Tuscany, to the Castelfalfi resort : "Like Calabria, that too is a region rich in traditions and important raw materials, with a hinterland to be discovered.”
If the Tuscan experience with Francesco Ferretti is significant, the months spent at Carlo Cracco's in Milan were crucial: “They left their mark, making me understand many technical aspects and kitchen vision.” At Villa Paola Pucci he returned as a runner-up, until, in 2023, he was put in charge of the kitchen: “Last year the company asked me to raise the bar in the direction of a fine-dining project that could make the most of this territory of ours and an idea of sustainability linked to both the use of local raw materials and the minimization of waste.”
Clear ideas, then, as is clear the desire to do well, making the most of what is the link with his land, because “when I create a dish I want Calabria to be perceived and represented”. Thus, 96 percent of the ingredients used in the kitchen are regional, with an important share of vegetables and fruits coming from the gardens of the estate that develops around the villa. Similarly, the excellent wine list also pushes very strongly on Calabrian labels and the important wine tradition of this area.
The dishes
The menus consist of 5, 7 and 9 courses, but it is the middle one that best represents his cuisine, according to the chef: "Necessity, Virtue fully outlines our anti-waste philosophy: it was a necessity, in rural peasant Calabria, it is still a necessity today to combat climate change and reduce environmental impact. Nothing is thrown away, hence the name." It starts with the delicate, successful harmony of Sila trout, salted lemon and red turnip: the fish comes from the lakes of the plateau: “A very important piece of Calabria. We accompany them with vegetable products from our garden, recovering as much as possible from the raw material with different preparations.”
Remarkable taste of chard, sole, sardine garum, and fig leaf oil: the garum is made from a brine of sardine clippings, accompanied by chard extract and fig leaf oil; “it is a dish that reminds me of childhood, when mom often prepared sole with boiled vegetables.”
The porcino, combined with wild plants and herbs from high altitudes, comes from a vast protected mountain area. The spaghettoni in forest broth with chestnuts and hay-smoked butter is very good: born after a walk in the forest, it is an autumn dish with great aromaticity that comes from the broth made with forest herbs and the smoky notes of chestnut and butter.
Back to the Tyrrhenian, with Carnaroli Gran Riserva rice, sea herbs, robiola, juniper, bergamot: a successful preparation, with articulate nuances and a very pleasant savoriness mitigated by the fragrant note of citrus. Again a nice idea with the crépinette of lamb, almond, pomegranate and carrot at BBQ: “A dish that represents the history of the De Minimi restaurant. It ends, curiously enough, with a dessert not typically Calabrian: tiramisu in a revised version with technique and taste, light and decidedly convincing.”
Should one space remain, De Minimi's selection of Calabrian cheeses is respectable: “During the Middle Ages, monasteries played a key role in the development of dairy products. Before their involvement, cheeses were often of poor quality and inadequately preserved, even considered harmful and reserved for the poorer classes. Thanks to the monastic rule and the creativity of the monks, cheeses underwent a remarkable evolution". Of great goodness, for example, are the organic raw-milk Pecorino cheeses from Masseria de Tursi and the goats' cheeses from the Sant'Anna farm. An address worth marking.
Contact
Villa Paola - De Minimi
Contrada Paola, 6, 89861 Tropea VV
Phone: 0963 62370
