It might sound like an aphorism or a dichotomy but the philosophy of "Confusion"first and only starred restaurant on the Emerald Coast in Porto Cervo, encapsulates the whole concept of the cuisine of Italo Bassi, travelling chef, dreamer and explorer. 'Confusion' in the sense of union and contamination of different cultures, of different ways of understanding cookingof different tastes and palates. 'Confusion' which hedonistic journey in a carefully designed environment adapted to Sardinia, a wild, rich land with a strong identity that can definitely play its part in the success of Italo Bassi, chef with a long history but a rebellious spirit always ready to put itself into play and re-invent itself.
Tell us how your day starts.
I wake up early in the morning because it is the only time I dedicate to myself, taking a walk by the sea with my little dogs. Then I go to the restaurant to have breakfast, all very calmly and seeing as few people as possible (laughs). This is how my day begins, which is divided into several stages and where it always ends late at night. But for work you do this and more.
How did you arrive in Porto Cervo from Verona?
Initially the 'Confusion' restaurant was born in Verona, which I then duplicated in Porto Cervo. Seeing that the situation was more congenial in Sardinia for what is my philosophy, the type of clientele and the quality of the raw material, I decided to concentrate all my energy here and to close the one in Verona. When you reach a certain age you have to make choices,
otherwise you risk getting killed (laughs)!
What is your philosophy of life?
I don't like to sit on my laurels, I am very dynamic, and I always set myself goals. I try never to feel totally fulfilled, also because the work period is concentrated from early spring to late autumn . Then I have the rest of the year to relax and above all to travel and think about new things. Working 365 days at a furious pace is not feasible: after 50, you have to choose what you want to do when you grow up, and I have decided I don't want to die in the kitchen! (laughs).
What is the philosophy behind your cuisine and the restaurants you look after?
With Confusion I wanted to recreate a hedonistic place where people feel truly fulfilled and at ease as if they were at home. The Confusion style combines cuisine, service, décor and wine. It does not just stop at the place where one is but tries to escape by uniting other worlds. The basis of the cuisine is the raw material, with a special focus on the search for the great product of which Sardinia is rich. This is also the origin of the name Confusion, which combines this territory and its products with the influences acquired from my experience, from my travels, from having been in contact with other types of cuisine, other cultures, other mentalities, with other chefs from different countries. The contamination of the local product with something that makes you fly with your mind to a memory, to a journey, to a holiday, to something that is far away from where you are, is the essence of my idea of cuisine.
What palates do you want to satisfy in your restaurant?
The customers who come to me are those who want to eat well, and have a good time, who do not have a degree in gastronomy to understand what they are eating because all dishes must be 'catchy'. In each dish, there should be no more than 3 or 4 ingredients, easily readable. The raw material must be excellent and the combination must make the most of the main product.
What makes your dishes eye-catching?
In my opinion, first and foremost, the great search for raw materials, centred on the excellence of the territory; then, the various ingredients that make up the dish, and finally that pinch of passion and love that I think, without wishing to be presumptuous, make them unique.
When did you discover your love for cooking and realise it would be your profession?
Let's say it all came about by chance, without any great mystical apparitions or vocations. I was lucky enough to be born into a large farming family and grow up in a big farmhouse with more than 24 people. My mother was in the kitchen and I was attached to her skirt. Being lucky enough to pick fruit from the trees or vegetables from the garden and eat them was very formative for me. In addition, the quality of the produce was very high because the people who sat at the table were demanding. My real luck was to make my passion my profession. You worked at Enoteca Pinchiorri for a very long time and then from employee you became an entrepreneur.
What drove you to this step?
It was an important experience in my training, but at a certain point I no longer felt any stimulation, it had become too standard for me and I felt the need to get involved myself. Sometimes taking a step backwards is useful to then take many more steps forwards, always walking with your own legs and thinking with your own head. When you were 20, you went to work in Japan... Yes, I opened the Pinchiorri wine shop in Tokyo, where I was also the first chef. It was a great experience but above all a great adventure, considering that We were in the late 1990s and, therefore, pioneers of Italian cuisine in the Rising Sun. We tried to impose the style of true Italian cuisine, breaking down that preconception of pizza and noodles by which we were known around the world. Proposing Italian products was quite a challenge, but it was a deserved success, since after 30 years, the Enoteca is still at the top of Japanese cuisine and beyond.
What do you remember of that experience?
So many things and first and foremost the love for Japan with its aesthetics, its rigour and the education of the Japanese. It was my first ever trip abroad and it opened my mind and changed my way of thinking. It made me take that leap to become great. It wasn't all taken for granted like it is today. Those were other times, without internet, cheap flights, mobile phones. Talking about it today sounds strange, but back then it was the norm. I managed, even though I didn't speak a word of English, to gain respect, to pass on teachings and to train many young chefs. I had brought the concept of fresh pasta to convey the message that there was more than just spaghetti, and one of the many chefs I trained has, years later, opened a restaurant with the symbol of the cappelletto romagnolo in its sign. For me it was an incredible satisfaction.
Was Igles Corelli your teacher?
Yes, he is the one who first opened my mind. We met again after 30 years at a course and it was a beautiful thing. For me it was lucky to work with such a character
eclectic, so avant-garde that he taught me how to fly. I then looked for other skies in which to do it, but I am grateful to him. Let's say that it was thanks to him that I got a sniff of the idea of a restaurant world different from the classic one of the Romagna Riviera to which I was pre-destined to do seasons.
Future projects in the drawer?
There is no shortage of those and one has just started. I have started two new restaurants in Bonifacio so as not to miss anything (laughs). The first is a bistro called 'd'Amore', alongside a very ambitious gastronomic restaurant called 'Finestra d'Amore', named after its wonderful view of Bonifacio harbour. It was born out of collaboration but above all out of friendship with one of my first customers here in Porto Cervo. Born last year as an idea, it came to life in June: a new challenge that takes a lot out of me, but of which I am very proud and satisfied.
What is the secret of your success? What would you like to see in your near future?
I am very proud of what I have been able to do and very happy with the opportunities life has given me. One must always have the chance to make mistakes and meet people
that give you the chance to do so. Stars don't fall for nothing, you also have to go looking for them to see them fall. Being curious is fundamental as well as pursuing one's own ideas. I hope I can pass on my model, my philosophy and my legacy to young people. I would be very proud to see my youngsters grow up and take my place, becoming even better than me!
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