At dinners, we usually introduce ourselves as “ambassador of Italian-ness”. After 5 years of Certa and many dinners’ intros into our pocket, we are sure there’s more to unfold. Are we culinary advisor? Cultural translators? We definitely are a two-way bridge to connect two worlds, attempting to explain on each side the richly cultural presumptions we all unknowingly hold. We want to explore the true extent of this connection, working towards some culinary encounters that often happens by default at home, as easy as the natural progression of the way cultures mix. Indeed, Hong Kong is a cultural cauldron marrying various cuisines together. Here, food constantly evolves and adapts to new conditions. ⁣

To get into the mood, we discussed about food hybridity over Mattei's cantucci and pu’erh tea. ⁣Looking for the best combination, we tasted the classic almond biscuits, followed by cantucci with hazelnuts, with dark chocolate chunks and with pistachio and almonds. Indeed, the pleasantly bitter and earthy flavour of pu’erh goes so well with the gentle sweetness of Mattei’s biscuits. ⁣

Sharing a meal has always been a way to understand each others' cultures. And sometimes it just happened to result in something delicious. No meal is an island. Quite the opposite: each meal is an opportunity to delve deeper into different culinary traditions, bridging every social and cultural divide on earth. We want to pursue this vision, seeking for meaningful culinary / cultural encounters that can shape new vibrant foodways, learning to be vulnerable together and creating a sense of purpose, empathy and community in an ever-changing landscape. Who’s in?