About Marco Anzani
Chef Marco Anzani, celebrated by the New York Times as one of the pioneer founders of “New Mediterranean Cuisine” introduces to Cebu, coastal Mediterranean flavors’ on a spin. 25 years in the industry, 18 countries, 5 continents and 30 cities.
Marco has worked with Michelin Chef’s such as Alain Ducasse, Roger Verge, Trignois and his direction for Anzani is a coastal spin on the New-Flavours of the Mediterranean using local and imported ingredients from around the world. In his profession, his craft has been mastered and his skill and technique in demand that many have asked him to consult corporate brands, airlines and other restaurateurs in the industry.
This now turned restaurateur and visionary greatly contributes to the professionalism of the industry locally and internationally. This Restaurateur is making a legacy.
Interview with Chef Marco
What inspired you to start the restaurant ANZANI in Cebu
I believed that there was an opportunity to introduce a fine dining restaurant concept in Cebu. We targeted a niche market, with the possibility of educating the local dining scene as well. Our goal was to elevate international cuisine that had been misinterpreted for years. We were out to set a new benchmark for standards.
What makes Cebu a Good Place for ANZANI?
On many levels, Cebu is holding its own in many ways as a prime destination. The light is shining in Cebu. I personally love Cebu. On another note, the expat clientele and foreign injection in the area is growing tremendously and most who come to the restaurant say its “Home “
On its own, ANZANI is a destination with many unique features other than our highlight on the cuisine. Primarily we are perched on top of the hills, overlooking Cebu’s enchanting panorama, of city and sea. Our views look over an orchid farm. We have incorporated in our dining set up an underground wine cellar, private degustation rooms, restaurant ala carte, function rooms , and view deck levels wherein one can choose to unwind or party. Bellini is an adjacent bar that takes the diners to another level of entertainment as well.
Anzani also grows our own produce (organic lettuce, arugula, peppers, tomatoes) we concoct our own in house “limoncello” and all have been born in Cebu. We have respected the ancestral history of the land and we now consider ourselves as “ keepers of the land” of which we continue to nurture. (The land that Anzani is on used to be a wine vineyard 60 years ago)
Could you elaborate on Anzani’s Design Interior Concept?
We have collaborated with Cebu’s best creative minds ( CebuFil-veneer, Atelier A, Dedon,) to reproduce an interpretation of the unpretentious, earthy and warmness of the Mediterranean. ANZANI is the result of the invention. And because ANZANi is new-Mediterranean in nature, we have achieved a new heightened Mediterranean calm luxuryin design aesthetic. Our interiors use a lot of oak, pine, elm wood, leather, and stone.
What do you have in mind when creating the Menu?
We take into consideration new products from Europe and try to localize the pricing. Eighty percent of our main ingredients are imported only because there is no consistency of standard with suppliers, but also because we don’t want to compromise our cuisine. Parmesan cheese is not cheese if it’s made in China. Our cheeses come from all over the world. Some directly imported, some from worthy suppliers. The one rule that we have is that we don’t scrimp on quality or freshness.
Our Menu if you read it is lengthy. But we want a customer to go back to their comfort foods (of which are in the menu) and if one is feeling adventurous, one has options. The main goal is to really have a customer have an experience.
How do you incorporate Cebuano Flavours in Mediterranean cuisine?
We don’t want to compromise authenticity. We want to remain as credible to our creed, our staff and our restaurant philosophy. You will not see chicken bouillon, you will not taste sugar in our pasta sauce surely.
We do not compromise flavour, but what we do recognize and respect the Filipino way of dining. This is in dining family style so we allow that in our restaurant. In a European setting, there is no family style service for fine dining.
In our efforts to contribute to the locals, we source locally from seafood suppliers ( pompano, bangus, local slipper lobster). However, these key ingredients are cooked Mediterranean style. As an example, the milkfish belly known to most as bangus, is coated in polenta.
We depend a lot on importation due to the product inconsistency.
What are ANZANI’s specialties?
As a cold appetizer we have our “raved” and popular ANZANI 5 wonders of the Ocean (A melange of everything from the seas- French oysters, crayfish, salmon carpaccio and Mediterranean scallops on a bed of beetroot hummus and octopus served on a hand blown glass plate)
As a hot appetizer, a focus would be on the salmon smoked cheese soufflé with tomato fondue, a melt in your mouth concoction that goes a long way
As a pasta dish, we have our home made open spinach lasagne with camembert and gooseliver, cherry tomatoes with port wine reduction
As a Main, our best sellers are our potato stringed black cod with roasted olive tomatoes, slivered zucchini crisps and arugula on buerre blanc. The ostrich scallopine with Martini reduction and truffled mash also gets a 5 star from most.
Our Flatbreads: we promote our four cheese flatbreads with caramelized figs and onions with pinenuts only for its uniqueness, but all our flatbreads are on a different calibre. We make a spinach flatbread, Sundried tomato base dough. Its exquisite. I can only dare someone to try it out.