Editor-in-Chief Ishii's ``A Splendid Life of Extraneous Thoughts''

I want to do that, I want to do this. I want to enjoy life even more! Based on such greedy thoughts, we will deliver the daily life of editor-in-chief Ishii, who enjoys life full of distractions. This time, we have infiltrated a collaboration lunch between ``Bvlgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin'' and ``Kyoto Kitcho'' sponsored by Franciacorta's leading brand ``Ca del Bosco'' in Italy. It was by far the best food and wine of the season.

Recently, due to the relaxation of Japan's entry restrictions, many special guests have been visiting from overseas. As a result, Ishii is happy to have more dinner parties and domestic business trips. The ``from ITALY to JAPAN ~Journey of Excellence'' that was held the other day was also a benefit. It was a special luncheon that had been planned for about six months in advance to coincide with the visit to Japan of the host, Mr. Maurizio Zanella (center of photo), owner of Franciacorta's famous restaurant "Ca del Bosco". The content was amazing... Bulgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, led by Luca Fantin (pictured right), the first Italian chef in Japan to receive a Michelin star, and Kunio Tokuoka, a chef who pursues tradition and innovation (pictured) It was a "luck-in-the-mouth" attempt to serve a collaborative menu of top Italian and Japanese runners, led by Kyoto Kitcho (Left), at Ca del Bosco.

The venue was ``Bvlgari Il Ristorante Luca Fantin'' in Ginza, Tokyo. The high vaulted ceiling gives it a feeling of openness. I took one look at the number of glasses lined up and thought to myself, ``I can drink a lot of this.''

Of course all the drinks were "Ca del Bosco", but the variety was amazing! In particular, the ``2008 Vintage Dosage Zero'' pictured was the best. The clean, dry taste due to its zero dosage, and the pureness of the fruit, make it the perfect match for delicate Japanese dishes and rich Italian sauces. I couldn't help but ask for a refill.

The food is also second to none. This is "Great squid Jerusalem artichoke". The soft and creamy Aoriika squid is topped with a rich Jerusalem artichoke sauce and sometimes caviar. In this course, the plates of the two chefs were served alternately, so I completely thought it was a dish from Kyoto Kitcho, but it turns out that it was actually created by Luca Fantin. This is the signature of Mr. Luca, who knows everything about Japanese ingredients.

On the other hand, ``Kyoto Kitcho'' is not losing either. The photo shows ``Matsuba crab and seasonal vegetables in vinegar.'' This masterpiece is made with Tosa vinegar jelly based on the umami of the yolk stock, and the bitterness and texture of the cacao nibs are also accented, giving it a wide flavor. By the way, this plate is a complete reproduction of an old dyed plate from the early Edo period by the famous Italian kiln Richard Ginori. This is also where the bridge between Japanese and Italian culture was built.

"From ITALY to JAPAN ~Journey of Excellence" was delivered as a digest, but what was most amazing was the thoughts and relationships of the three key figures at the beginning. I would like to conclude this article by looking forward to a further developed meal.