Restaurant Focus: Saporium

Saporium, located on the Lungarno Benvenuto Cellini, in Florence, represents one of the most interesting gastronomic openings of the last few months. The restaurant is the urban spin-off of the restaurant of the same name inside Borgo Santo Pietro, a boutique hotel and estate with an organic vegetable garden in Chiusdino, in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, which opened last year under the direction of young Executive Chef Ariel Hagen.

Here, everything is produced and meticulously processed using sustainable and anti-waste techniques. Every ingredient goes 'from the soil to the plate,' with sustainable methods, an authentic spirit and great respect for the environment. Mother Nature is the true protagonist of this performance, the fulcrum around which the entire gastronomic project revolves. Dreamed up by Claus and Jeanette Thottrup, a Danish couple who founded Borgo Santo Pietro more than 20 years ago, Saporium has just won the Influencers' Choice Award at the 2023 edition of TheFork Awards and is increasingly winning over Florentines, whether native or passing through.

The location

Saporium's windows overlook one of the quietest spots on the Lungarno. Crossing the threshold, a 'green' location is revealed, in spirit and reality, divided between Lounge and Restaurant. The space was conceived by Jeanette Thottrup and designed in collaboration with the well-known British design studio Campbell-Rey. Shades of green, from the mise en place to the walls, from the seating to the decorations, are the fil vert and mood of the entire location, which relaxes between references to nature and decorative elements. The interior is inspired by mid-century Italian architectural design, amidst large mirrors and hand-painted frescoes, while the lounge area (below) is distinguished by its art deco style, amidst vaulted stone ceilings and warm colours.

Everything here has been crafted down to the smallest detail to create a relaxed atmosphere, and to bring to Florence the country air of Borgo Santo Pietro, “nature, its colours, the nostalgic Tuscan landscape, the emotions we feel when we walk around our estate,” Jeanette says. A very Italian location, but with a Nordic approach, complete with a kitchen open to the dining room, where one can admire the work of the brigade.

The philosophy

Nature is also indulged in the menu, which considers climate change and local production, with deep ethical values: only fish from regional waters, fruit and vegetables from Borgo Santo Pietro's organic vegetable garden, aromatic herbs from the home garden and a microcosm of reference that underlies the actions and choices of the Executive Chef. Hagen, Florentine by birth, a pupil of Norbert Niederkofler and Gaetano Trovato, has conceived his cuisine based on the principles of biodiversity and regenerative agriculture, following the rhythm of nature: he is at the head of a strong team of chefs, including Marco Sforza, from Turin, a pupil of Gualtiero Marchesi, as well as the team of farmers and culinary gardeners.

_{Marco Sforza and Ariel Hagen}

The kitchen brigade maintains a constant dialogue with the head gardener, the kitchen garden team, the cheesemaker, the baker, the butcher, the head of the fermentation laboratory Stefania Leo, as well as with the wait staff. The result? A refined and authentic offering, faithful to the green philosophy of the place. "The season that is not there" is the principle that inspired Hagen to choose the ingredients for the new menu, following nature's ideal conditions. You can opt for one of three courses, with meat, fish or vegetable offerings: Territorial Projections, Pes-Care and Vegetable Depths.

The menu

_{Red mullet, caciucco sauce, sweet pepper, basil}

To begin with, a round of amuse bouche: from porcini mushrooms with hollandaise sauce and mushroom carpaccio to veal rib waffle with crabs from the island of Elba and bisque emulsion, from kimchi croquette to 'sustainable foie gras', a reinterpretation of the traditional Tuscan chicken liver crostini, with hazelnut praline and vin santo gel. Then, space is given to Casentino trout (top photo), from a young sustainable local farm, marinated and served with its roe, cucumber, sour butter and peppermint, in a perfect play of balance and contrast.

Taste vegetable dishes like the Riso Carnaroli Riserva San Massimo with Hokkaido pumpkin, Bolgheri bitter, pepper leaves and mandarin mustard (above), a tasty autumnal palette, or the tagliolino with grilled baby squid, ink, and wild fennel, which offers an elegant taste of the sea.

The red mullet, caciucco sauce, sweet pepper and basil looks like a refined painting, served with a sauce reminiscent of the Tuscan maritime tradition. "The scales are removed, fried and placed back on the fish to avoid waste," explains the chef. The pre-dessert, a lollipop based on carrot sorbet, covered with white chocolate and Tuscan spices, is also delicious.

Lastly, a tribute to one of the symbolic characters of Florentine culture with La Rosa di Caterina, a dessert dedicated to Catherine de' Medici, sovereign of France and a crucial figure in the history of customs and gastronomy, who loved the Florentine zuccotto, also known as Catherine's Elmo: a dessert made with sponge cake and alchermes that elegantly brings down the curtain. On the banks of the Arno, the sky seems to turn green. Could this soon be a Michelin-starred restaurant?