Franceschetta 58

Modena, in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, is a foodie’s heaven. People come from far and wide for the balsamic vinegar, the olive oil, the cheese, and of course, the pasta. The city center is also home to two of Massimo Bottura’s restaurants.

Massimo Bottura is one of the most celebrated chefs on the planet. His most famous venture, Osteria Francescana, has three Michelin stars and was ranked #1 on the World's Best Restaurants list in 2016.

But the road to mainstream success was not so easy for Bottura, and this is why his story fascinates me. In an episode of Chef's Table, he described how locals in Modena initially despised both the food he served at Francescana, and him for daring to mess with beloved recipes. He's concept oriented. Especially at Francescana, where reservations for the twelve course tasting menu go for €290 (plus €190 for wine pairings), he prizes both the quality of ingredients, but also the clever storytelling behind his dishes. This style is certianly unique; it's innovative, creative, and artistic - something that can be hard to swallow for a crowd so obsessed with the sanctity of tradition.

Eventually, official critics and locals (still critics) alike came around to what Bottura had to offer. Now, not only is he recognized as one of the best chefs in the world, he's also become a sort of international ambassador for modern Italian cuisine, which is extra ironic given the initial critique of his food for being so inherently insulting to Italian culinary heritage. He's also involved in efforts to build healthy, accessible, and equitable food systems, via his nonprofit Food for Soul.

Now I of course, could not afford to eat at Osteria Francescana. I also think much of the experience would be lost on a vegetarian, so I decided instead to try out Francescana's more accessible little sister Franceschetta 58. I went there for lunch in March 2019 with a good friend, ready to fangirl over both Massimo, and his food.

We both took a three-course lunch tasting menu, with mine being slightly modified to be suitable for vegetarians.

First up was poached egg on a chestnut purée, with a parmesan cream sauce and topped with fried onion.

Next was the off-menu vegetarian option for the day - a breadcrumb pesto made with a mix of herbs, not just basil.

Finally, a tiramisù . If you know me, you'll probably be familiar with my irrational hatred of tiramisù (well, any soaked cakes, really). I usually flat out refuse to continue trying them, but for Massimo Bottura, I gave it one last shot. And, needless to say, not even he can make me like the texture of a soaked cake... but the rich chocolate filling and piped cream on top were delicious.