Biscotti's new chef, Danilo Aiassa, just can't find enough words to describe his passion for cooking. He's been doing since he was 11, helping his grandmother. But he practises - he doesn't preach.

"Let me cook up something for you to try," says the 29-year-old from tiny Carmagnola in Italy's northwestern Piedmont region.

When the Four Seasons Bangkok promoted Biscotti chef Giovanni Speciale to the kitchen at the Four Seasons Shanghai, it needed someone to fill a legend's shoes. Biscotti has a reputation; its adoring clientele were not to be disappointed.

Aiassa was one of 24 contenders, all of them with a background in Italian cooking. The field was narrowed to eight, then three, then two. The finalists were flown from Milan to Bangkok to show their talent using local ingredients.

"Danilo was the youngest of the contenders and couldn't speak a word of English," says Four Seasons general manager Patrick Ghielmetti.

"We decided to have the semi-final round in Milan because it is a very upscale city with discerning customers. Chefs who can perform well in Milan have strong potential to perform well elsewhere in the world."

Aiassa got the nod thanks to the pasta he made with his grandmother's antique pasta maker. It won the judges' hearts.

He cooks with passion and imaginative verve, finely julienning zucchini to give crunch to an otherwise smooth and creamy shellfish gnocchi with prawns, mussels and scallops, a dish that's worth every satang of its Bt450 price at Biscotti.

When he enrolled in cooking school at age 15, Danilo received intensive training, but he was poised for greatness once he started cooking at historic Il Cambio in Torino. He moved on to better-known establishments, most of them studded with Michelin stars.

He worked for three-star chef Valentino Marcattilli at San Domenico in Bologna, then explored French cuisine at the three-star Buerehiesel in Strasbourg. Then he joined Emile Jung's two-star Au Crocodile.

Aiassa next moved to Paris and became the chef de partie at the Four Seasons George V, one of the most prestigious hotels in France.

Bangkok is his first Asian venture, and Aiassa - whose personal preference runs to fish and vegetables - is keen to adapt to what's available in the local markets.

Aiassa's risotto parmigiana with brown veal stock (Bt380 for a small portion and Bt430 for the large) looks simple with its creamy texture in the al dente risotto rice. But it's truly satisfying with aromatic whips and twists in tastes of the meat sauce in every bite of the parmesan-creamed rice.

He makes wonderful fettuccine with Parma ham, mushrooms, truffle essence and parmesan (Bt350 and Bt400) and an equally delicious penne with lamb ragout, young leek and red wine reduction (Bt350 and Bt390).

It comes drizzled with grated parmesan, toasted string beans and fresh plump tomatoes.

Then there's roasted sea bass with a warm salad of potatoes, cherry tomatoes, porcini mushroom and zucchini and Cornetti beans (Bt590). The plump fillet was perfectly grilled, giving a pleasurable sweet taste.

A very tender braised veal shank served with young vegetables and creamy potatoes (Bt710) demands a round of applause for its melt-in-the-mouth juiciness.

Biscotti is open daily for lunch from noon to 2.30 and dinner from 6 to 10.30pm. The lunch set menu of antipasti and a main course with coffee or tea costs Bt590, or Bt640 with dessert. The antipasti table is available by itself on weekends for Bt540.

For reservations, call (02) 250 1000 or 255 5443.

Sirin P Wongpanit

The Nation