Alta Badia - Culinary Experiences On The Slopes, Spontaneous And Creative

Spontaneity has to do with intuition and immediacy, it is a motion of creative energy, which can be contagious in a positive sense. It will therefore be spontaneity that will inspire the eight chefs who will give life to the fourteenth edition of A taste for skiing, the gastronomic event that year after year makes Alta Badia's winter season gourmet.

The dishes on offer will be a hymn to sobriety rather than redundancy, in perfect harmony with the Alpine environment that surrounds Alta Badia. And between great chefs who will create their dishes, starting from these concepts, and an idea of hospitality that is always new and stimulating, A taste for skiing wants to be a meeting point in the name of good, beautiful and togetherness.

The concept of the initiative remains unchanged: eight Michelin starred chefs will each be paired with a hut on the slopes of Alta Badia, for which they will create a recipe that will be offered to skiers throughout the winter season. The participating chefs are united by their sensitivity for the 'The Best Life Possible' charity project and share a strong love for the Alta Badia region.

Promoter of the charity project, linked to A taste for skiing, is one of Italy's only 12 three-Michelin-starred chefs, Massimiliano Alajmo (Restaurant Le Calandre, Rubano/Padova), who in 2002, at just 28 years of age, was the youngest chef in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars. Doing the honours is chef Simone Cantafio of the restaurant La Stüa de Michil at Hotel La Perla in Corvara (1 Michelin star), who in his cuisine proposes tradition and innovation, with the aim of introducing Italian products to the world, telling the flavours of the territory. Andrea Berton (Restaurant Berton, Milan, 1 Michelin star) is also part of the initiative.

The chef began his career working in Gualtiero Marchesi's brigade, passing through important restaurants such as Trussardi alla Scala before opening in 2013 the restaurant that bears the chef's name and is characterised by a cuisine where the flavours are always recognisable to the palate. For the first time, A taste for skiing hosts chef Gianluca Gorini (daGorini Restaurant, S.Piero in Bagno, 1 Michelin star). The chef attaches great importance to daily contact with small suppliers, gatherers, hunters, farmers, local breeders, because in this way he is able to establish a special bond with the ingredients.

The other new entry is Errico Recanati (Restaurant Andreina, Loreto/Ancona, 1 Michelin star), a chef who inherited his passion for cooking from his grandmother Andreina. Errico Recanati has an idea of neo-rural cuisine: where tradition acquired over time is merged with new techniques and today's research. The latter can be defined as "innovatively primordial": the centre of everything is the grill and the spit, enhanced by the support of experimental and original techniques. Chef Diego Rossi (Restaurant Trippa, Milan), on the other hand, is a veteran of the initiative. A young and charismatic chef, Diego Rossi gained years of experience in many starred restaurants before opening his own restaurant in Milan. He wants to serve his customers real dishes, made through simplified preparations and processes, in full respect of the product, which processed less, remains more intact and true.

Two great Slovenian names, known not only in their own country but also internationally, return. Ana Roš (Restaurant Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia, 3 Michelin stars and 1 green star) sees cuisine as a symbiosis of three elements: the land, seasonality and the personality of the chef. His cuisine is based precisely on these elements, making it expressive and intense, always following nature. Ana Roš's efforts and commitment were rewarded on Monday 19 September 2023, when she was awarded three stars, as well as the green star, by the renowned Michelin Guide. Ana Roš is the eighth woman in the world to receive three Michelin stars. Moreover, she is currently the only Slovenian restaurant to hold such an award. Closing the roundup of chefs is Tomaž Kavčič (Restaurant Gostilna pri Lojzetu, Vipava, 1 Michelin star), who is of the opinion that research and knowledge of ingredients and careful preparation ensure that the original flavours remain unchanged in all their taste, beauty and harmony. Kavčič wants the guest to see and feel the love behind the preparation of each dish.

Participating chefs were asked to create their recipes while reducing waste and paying special attention to the protection of our planet, thus contributing to the sustainable initiatives of Alta Badia, Italy's 4th tourist destination to have obtained the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) certification.

The dishes can be tasted at the mountain huts: Ütia Lé, Ütia L’Tamá, Club Moritzino, Ütia Las Vegas, Ütia I Tablá, Ütia de Bioch, Ütia Jimmy and Ütia Edelweiß during the whole winter season.

A CHARITY PROJECT TO SUPPORT “LA MIGLIOR VITA POSSIBILE” FOR CHILDREN IN NEED OF CARE

A strong and concrete signal of solidarity. This is the objective of the 2023/2024 edition of A taste for skiing, an initiative that this year is aimed at less fortunate children, assisted by the Padua and Veneto Paediatric Hospice suffering from incurable or disabling illnesses. The association linked to the Alta Badia successful event il called 'La miglior vita possibile' and is actively engaged in the support of paediatric palliative care. So for the whole of the coming winter season, for every A taste for skiing dish served in the huts taking part in the initiative, € 3.00 will be donated to charity in support of the creation of the new Regional Reference Centre for Paediatric Palliative Care and Pain Therapy of the Veneto Region. An important action to concretely support the lives of numerous girls and boys.

UNMISSABLE CULINARY EVENTS

THE GOURMET SKISAFARI CELEBRATES ITS 10TH EDITION

The tenth edition of the much-anticipated Gourmet Skisafari will take place on Saturday December 9. The event will take Michelin-starred cuisine to 2,000 m above sea level, into the heart of the Dolomites. Skiers will be able to travel on skis in an itinerant journey from one hut to the next, where they will have the opportunity to taste the gourmet creations of the participating chefs, Massimiliano Alajmo, Andrea Berton and Simone Cantafio from Italy and Tomaž Kavčič from Slovenia.

These chefs will be treating skiers to their delicious dishes, using top-quality products to praise local cuisine. In fact, the chefs will be using the best Italian products as inspiration for their dishes. For the creation of the dishes, the chefs were moreover inspired not only by the products but also by their own philosophy in the kitchen, adapted for the occasion to a mountain environment. Real works of art will be on offer, not only for the taste buds but also for the eyes. There will also be the opportunity to get to know the chefs in person and to learn the story behind their dish. All for a first ski day of the season in the name of taste... and spontaneity.

SUNRISA: SKIING AT DAWN ON FRESH SNOW, BEFORE ENJOYING A HEARTY BREAKFAST AT 2,000M

Skiing on fresh snow, before anyone else, is a truly unique experience. The experience becomes even more magical if you do it in the heart of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Alta Badia's slopes, where the best athletes will be going head-to-head at the Alpine Ski World Cup during the same period, all topped off with an excellent breakfast at 2,000 m a.s.l.

On Monday 18th December, the ski slopes on the plateau of Alta Badia will be opening at dawn, giving ski enthusiasts the chance to see the sun rise at 2,000 m a.s.l. and ski down the slopes that have been perfectly prepared the night before by the many snowcats that work in the area. What’s more, there is the chance to enjoy a hearty breakfast, based on genuine and healthy products, at the Club Moritzino, Ütia I Tablá, Ütia de Bioch, Ütia Piz Arlara and Ütia Las Vegas mountain huts. Each hut will be paired with a specific breakfast item, such as milk, cereal, eggs or fruits. The various dishes on offer have been created with the support of the nutritionist Elena Casiraghi and they contain the essential ingredients for a perfect breakfast, guaranteeing the right number of calories and nutrition for each leg of the breakfast route from one mountain hut to another.

NEW: THE BRUNCH TRIBE – BRUNCH CULTURE TAKEN TO 2000 METRES

'There is hope... and its colour is green': this is the motto of Maria Sofia, a young and friendly girl, who has made her life and her refuge out of healthy food, surrounded by nature. It is not, however, a refuge on the slopes like any other. Participating in The Brunch Tribe is an exclusive and unforgettable experience. The private hut, located in the Piz Sorega area, can be reached on skis, or on foot, but always accompanied by a guide and only on the few days when the events take place. The brunch, created with passion and knowledge by Maria Sofia, features local products. Green is the colour of hope, but also of vegetables, which are the main product of the brunch, accompanied by local cheeses, eggs and cakes. Everything can be enjoyed together with exclusively natural wines. Appointments always take place in the mornings in January, February and March. Booking is compulsory online at www.altabadia.org , or directly at the Alta Badia Information Offices.

SOMMELIER ON THE SLOPES

The chance to taste some of South Tyrol's finest wines in two different mountain huts whilst admiring the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: only in Alta Badia.
Following the success of the last editions, Sommelier on the slopes will be returning to Alta Badia for the 2023/24 winter season. The aim of this initiative is to enhance the winning combination of skiing and excellent local products. There are eight dates planned, scheduled between December and April (12th December, 9th and 23rd January, 20th February, 5th, 12th and 19th March and 2nd April), each involving wonderful skiing on Alta Badia's slopes, combined with the chance to taste South Tyrol's finest wines.

Participants will be accompanied by a ski instructor as well as a professional sommelier. The price of the wine tasting session, including the ski guide, is €40.00 per person. These are the mountain huts where the events will take place: Ütia de Bioch, Club Moritzino, Ütia I Tablá, Ütia Las Vegas Lodge, Ütia Lé, Ütia Tamá, Ütia Pic Pré and Ütia La Munt.

Each event is organised together with the South Tyrol Wine Consortium and South Tyrol’s Sommelier Association.

WINE SKISAFARI: A WINE TASTING 2,000 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL

On Sunday 24th March 2024, Alta Badia will be bringing South Tyrol’s finest wines to the mountains for an exclusive tasting session, set to take place from 10am until 3.30pm in the Piz Arlara, Ütia de Bioch, I Tablá and Pralongiá mountain huts. The aim of the initiative is to round off the winter season in style, dedicated to excellent food and wine. The tickets that include the tasting of all the wines can be purchased at the participant mountain huts at a price of €35.00. The event is organised by Alta Badia Brand, together with IDM (Innovation Development Marketing), and with the support of the South Tyrol Wine Consortium.

OTHER FOOD AND WINE EVENTS

Roda dles Saus is the name of the event dedicated to the traditional Ladin food on the slopes of the La Crusc ski resort in Alta Badia and it’s held during the week from March 17-24. What's more, throughout the entire winter season, there’ll also be the chance to take part in the “Breakfast with powder snow” initiative, held at the Las Vegas Lodge. An excellent opportunity to be the first on the slopes in the morning, as well as enjoying a hearty breakfast with all of South Tyrol's best products.