80s seminal Italian restaurant Trigabolo to reunite for 40th anniversary charity dinner

For connoisseurs of Italian cuisine, the name Trigabolo di Argenta evokes nostalgia and reverence in equal measures. The renowned restaurant redefined the country’s fine-dining scene in the 1980s and was capable of attracting the likes of Andy Warhol, Ferran Adrià and Priscilla Presley to the damp and marshy countryside of Ferrara. On the 23^rd of June, a charity reunion dinner is set to revisit its glorious past for one-night only

The event will take place at the Grand Hotel Da Vinci in Cesenatico, 40 years after the restaurant’s birth and 30 years following its closure. The famed restaurant, once dubbed “the beacon of Italian research cuisine”, will reopen its doors to aid Romagna’s Institute of Oncology, offering a four-course feast of Trigabolo’s most revolutionary dishes.

The meal of the decade

At a cost of 200 euros per person, all of which will be donated to charity, diners will sample a menu that rewinds the clock to the restaurant’s most innovative period. The dishes include an onion crème caramel with goose liver sauce, ginger, and coriander; guinea fowl medallions with a Malandrone parmesan zabaglione and crunchy culatello of Brozzi; mallard, stuffed with eel and a peppery sauce, and steamed red poppy; and for the grand finale, caramelised fried cream puffs in a citrus sauce. With an expected turnout of 400 guests, this event is set to be the food lover’s highlight of the summer.

The brigade reunites

The gastronomic orchestra leading this spectacle will be none other than the original Trigabolo brigade –  chef de cuisine Igles Corelli with Bruno Barbieri and Mauro Gualandi, as well as Marcello Leone, Pierluigi Di Diego, Elga Cavallini and Sandro Trioschi. The front-of-house team will be headed by Giacinto Rossetti, with Bruno Biolcati, Flavio Errani, and Marco Merighi.

A revolutionary era in Italian cuisine

The Trigabolo of Argenta, active between 1983 and 1993, was not just a restaurant; it was a revolution in the Italian culinary scene. Located in a small town in the Ferrara valleys, it gained international acclaim despite its relatively short lifespan, and its influence is still felt in modern Italian cuisine.

Trigabolo was famed for its ever-changing menu and its unyielding commitment to serving fresh local produce. Despite its secluded location, the restaurant attracted a diverse clientele ranging from artists, politicians, sports champions to international celebrities, all enticed by the restaurant’s groundbreaking culinary creativity.

Among its many accolades, Trigabolo received the Veronelli Sun and two Michelin stars – actually, rumour has it that they were conferred the coveted third just before closing down. At a point they even surpassed Gualtiero Marchesi in the general ranking of restaurants which takes into consideration the votes of all the main guides.

A celebration of gastronomic history

This reunion dinner offers a rare opportunity to witness and savour a monumental period of Italian culinary history, recreated by the original team who forged it. It is a celebration of youthful creativity, audacious innovation and unparalleled quality, attributes that still resonate in the international culinary scene and are a testament to Trigabolo’s enduring influence.

So, for those yearning for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience steeped in nostalgia and culinary brilliance, mark your calendars for this grand reunion. This is not just a meal; it’s a piece of culinary history served on a plate.

Food Desk

For further information and to book a table visit the event’s website here.