Mood Over Food

MONACO HAS BEEN MY HOME now for nine years, and I love the challenge of living here and the fire this gives you to push yourself harder. Everyone needs to move forward, find new ideas, and adapt to new norms.

That’s exactly what is happening to the restaurant scene, but not just in Monaco, although the international community has made an impact here. The approach to the global restaurant business is changing to respond to the tastes and desires of the new generation, who are less into getting dressed up for a classic dining experience. They want something more friendly and more relaxed, where mood matters. Of course, the food must be of the highest quality, but people want to post something “Wow!” about their dining experience on social media.

To be clear, it is not because the new generation wants more fun that they don’t understand good food; they have high standards but are after ambiance.

I’m from this new generation, but I’m also old school. I believe that classic dining will never disappear totally. Classic is classic, it is the base, and modern is temporary. What is fashionable today will be gone tomorrow. For example, a Rolls Royce is always a Rolls Royce, no matter how it is modernized. Likewise, in fine dining, it’s the product and the service that everyone appreciates.

Food is still the key, but a restaurateur has to be intelligent to understand that this is a relationship. It’s not the same every day. It’s up and down, and you need to be able to acclimatize the business. For example, at Rampoldi, customers will now notice more lighting and more music in the evening.

Ambience is one thing, but for me, what’s most important is quality produce and great service. It’s a beautifully ironed white tablecloth and a smile from the staff. It’s education and politeness. The best things in life are often the simplest. This is my philosophy.

 We shouldn’t focus only on things that are considered luxury. I don’t have a Rolls Royce, but I have my health. Health is not something that is guaranteed; it’s a gift, like love or waking up to a beautiful day.

What we really need in life are things that you can’t buy. And we need to give more value to simple pleasures, like the whiteness of a tablecloth.

By Antonio Salvatore

Contributor

A contributing writer for The Monegasque™ , covering culinary art and food trends, Michelin-starred chef Antonio Salvatore was born in Basilicata, Italy, and has traveled extensively, honing his craft in Spain, England, and Russia. Now based in Monaco, he serves refined contemporary Italian cuisine at Rampoldi’s exclusive five-table setting, using top-quality ingredients from Menton, San Remo, and Southern Italy. His signature dishes include bottoni di vitello tonnato, cabri dodici ore, and texture di cioccolato, while at the brasserie, he reimagines classic dishes with a modern twist.