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www.groovekorea.com / September 2014 56 Chef Paolo Collavini brings Italian touch to Itaewon I talian chef Paolo Collavini has landed in Seoul af- ter four continents and 15 countries. His travels, spanning from North America to the Middle East and Africa to Asia, have brought him to the up- scale restaurant Between located in the heart of Itaewon. Chances are you’ve passed this three-story, floor-to-ceiling glass windowed bar and tapas lounge not far from the Hamilton Hotel. He’s traveled the world over, taking traditional Italian cuisine with him. He has been at Between for the past six months, turning the menu from Spanish to nearly 85 percent Italian with an international touch. Growing up in a humble family in Como, Italy, a small city just north of Milan, Collavini watched his mother cook and decided to attend culinary school. “My mother was a good cook, so I always admired her and always tried to copy her taste. I got a great feeling with food and I liked to eat and discover what she was doing and then that was it. I just decided I didn’t want to live in Italy. I wanted to discover the world. So that was very simple.” In 1985, Collavini worked as a chef on an American cruise ship. Four years later he came back to land and for the next 24 years he bounced from country to country. He’s worked in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Lebanon, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Zimba- bwe, Morocco, Kuwait, Barbados, Oman, Abu Dhabi and Sri Lanka. The majority of his work has been in five-star hotels and resorts, including his own Collavini Restaurant in the Paradise Hotel in Busan. “I’m a guy that doesn’t (care) where I am and what I have. After two years I get the feeling to change and do something new,” he said. “Right now I live day by day. I love Asia and I have no intention to go back. Asia is my place.” Story by Shireen Tofg / photos by Ha Si-yoon Between Groove Korea: What is your cooking philosophy? Paolo Collavini: Since I was 30 I haven’t wanted to grow in position, become executive chef, be in charge of many outlets, be in the office all day and just order people and write schedules and check things. I’m a guy who gets satisfaction in cooking. This year I’m turning 50 and I’d like to keep cooking. I believe in being traditional and simple, following my roots and the relation with what I have on hand in terms of budget, ingredients and staff and the kind of clientele. I just … do my job. I always cook Italian and I believe (it) to be correct — doing Italian food with what I have. I’m not the kind of guy who likes to make fusion or experiment and stuff like that. I just try to be simple and traditional with what I have.
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