GRUAL, RECEIVES A MICHELIN STAR
Let’s go back to the 5th of November, 2024, when Matteo Maenza waits to cross the threshold of the Pavarotti Freni Theatre in Modena. At the entrance dedicated to chefs, the talents of Italy’s best restaurants are queuing up. On the other side of the historic building, the press is preparing to write about one of the world’s most eagerly awaited awards.
The Michelin Star is awarded to restaurants that offer outstanding cuisine. The guide considers five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the harmony of flavours, the mastery of techniques, the personality of the chef expressed in his cooking, and the consistency of the entire menu.
At the Michelin ceremony, the Executive Chef of the Lefay group seats in the stalls, waiting to hear whether the Grual Restaurant will be included among the culinary stars. The certainty comes when he hears his name called on stage, after endless minutes of holding his breath.
«For months, I have been feeling that the star would come. Yet, one does not dare to say it, it is unseemly to think so. You wait for it forever and, in its mystery, it surprises and leaves you speechless» says the newly starred chef. «To me the Michelin Star is the achievement of a lifetime. It is a success that belongs to the entire brigade, which is committed to offering guests a unique experience, aimed at surprising every sense. »
The invitation to the ceremony arrived on a warm October Wednesday. «I was at the gym and could not believe it, » says Matteo, who has also made wellness a personal life choice. «This work is nourished by a generous dose of passion, to be dedicated every day to each dish, even more in a context like Lefay, where every minimum detail is thought out for an excellent experience».
Inspired by an enchanted forest, the Grual Restaurant takes its name from the mountain which provides the backdrop to Lefay Resort & SPA Dolomiti and enhances ingredients from Trentino-Alto Adige, sourced from organic and sustainable suppliers. Its menu is ‘altimetric’: each dish is made with ingredients that celebrate the mountain, in a metaphorical journey from the valley floor up to the high mountains, passing through the alpine pastures.
«Among the dishes, one of the most historic is the ‘Mountain Potato’, included from the earliest menus. It is served with herb pesto and rosehip ketchup. A simple element of the earth, which can give emotions, especially when skillfully combined with a search for aromas and plant-based ingredients, offering a sensory account of alpine nature, » explains the chef.
