Viva Italia!

What’s it like to be an Italian chef in Shanghai? People appreciate Italian food a lot over here. I’ve been cooking for more than 20 years, but it is my first assignment in Asia. So far, it’s been a great experience. China is very different from Europe, and, for me it’s a new world. So many different cultures are represented in the food available in Shanghai. I love experimenting with local foods and produce and cooking them up, Italian style.

What are your must-try dishes? You have to try the cod in the black olive crust with vanilla sauce. The flavor of the olives plus the fragrance of the vanilla (I make the sauce with vanilla pods, cream and fish stock) and the slightly sweet cod are wonderful together. I also recommend our parmesan-topped cheese and spinach ravioli and tiramisu. We also have very nice pizzas, which we bake in a specially-made stone oven.

What makes Giovanni’s different from the other Italian choices in town? We create Italian food with a modern approach and we use fresh, local products in addition to our finest gourmet imports. I like to think that Giovanni’s brings the best of Italy to China, and food is a very effective way to teach people about Italy.

Find It 27/F, Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel 遵义南路喜来登豪达太平洋酒店27 楼, Tel: 6275-8888

Try some of Simonetta's cooking at Giovanni's