In Cortina, the owner of the restaurant, Michel Oberhammer, strongly believed in the talent of the chef from Romagna, transforming the mountain refuge into one of the most interesting gourmet restaurants in Italy.
Photo by Alex Moling
The restaurant
It's amazing how some places can change radically over time, starting out with a specific purpose only to be transformed into something else entirely. Among these, the case of Baita Pié Tofana is truly unique. Created for the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina as a refuge for timekeepers, it now hosts one of the most interesting gourmet restaurants in Italy.
The credit goes to Michel Oberhammer, an entrepreneur from Cortina who was born into the world of gastronomy, experiencing the sweet dynamics of his family's historic pastry shop in the town center from an early age. He then ventured into the wine sector, a great passion that led him to invest in the mountain hut at the foot of the Tofane mountains—still a stop on the Women's Ski World Cup circuit—in 2019. It was an uphill journey, not so much because of the winding road leading to the mountain slopes (at an altitude of 1,700 meters), but because of the start of the restaurant business in the midst of Covid and a kitchen staff with whom the chemistry was never quite right.
So, in 2021, the entrepreneur convinced Federico Rovacchi to take the reins of his team. Rovacchi is a rising star in the culinary world, both in terms of age (born in 1992) and experience, after six long seasons at St. Hubertus by Norbert Niederkofler, where he worked in a dream team alongside Michele Lazzarini, Dario Pandolfo, and Alberto Toé. The Romagna-born chef immediately understood Michel Oberhammer's vision of offering haute cuisine that is not exclusively mountain-based in an elegant, sincere, and convivial setting, where customers feel the warm welcome typical of a mountain hut.
This is where Elisa Prudente (restaurant manager, also from St. Hubertus) and Lisa Fiorentin come into play, skilled and practical in offering attentive and warm service. Elisa, together with Michel, is also in charge of the wine list, an interesting selection of over 700 wines that perfectly accompanies Federico Rovacchi's culinary offerings. The chef has created a menu that features meat, fish, and lots of vegetables from the restaurant's own garden, while aromatic herbs and wild herbs are hand-picked by the kitchen staff, coordinated by sous chef Nicole Groff, whose skill is also evident in the bread, another strong point of Baita Piè Tofana.
The dishes
The welcome is a triumph of delicacies, including homemade hams – such as venison or coppa di testa – fried gnocchi, eggs and asparagus, and potato broth, as comforting as a Sunday lunch. Federico Rovacchi loves to use charcoal, which works wonderfully with l'Ostrica. After being lightly seared over the fire, it takes on the flavors of guanciale, a victorious challenge also in the dual soft textures of the two ingredients, which offer an unexpected sea and mountains 2.0. Yes, we are in the mountains, but as mentioned above, Baita Piè Tofana stands out for its originality and advanced techniques. One example is the Lumaca à la Bourguignonne sfumata al Riesling (snails in Riesling sauce) served on a cream of potatoes with Jerusalem artichokes, black truffle, and kefir foam; finally, it is seasoned with wild garlic oil and finished at the table with a splash of whiskey. A dish that brings out the chef's sensitivity.
The Cappelletti with Parmigiano Reggiano and mostarda in capon and mushroom broth are a tribute to Emilia Romagna, a signature dish by Rovacchi characterized by the tangy flavor of mostarda and the use of 70-month aged Parmigiano, which enhances the umami notes of the dish.
The mountains are interpreted with Alpine char, laurel sauce and herbs, cooked strictly on the grill, while the evening is worth spending on the Rossini al mare, a beef filet accompanied by cuttlefish and teriyaki sauce, a symposium of flavors that describe the restaurant in its entirety.
The interpretation of Zuppa inglese, enclosed within a chocolate cake, is also very interesting. A dessert that gives the sign that mountain allure that never fails.
Contacts
Baita Pié Tofana
Località Rumerlo, 32043 Cortina d'Ampezzo BL
Phone 04364258
