For Michelin-starred Italian chef Italo Bassi, the secret ingredient to make the best pasta in the world is “lots of love”.
Bassi, in Kolkata for a three-day stay, is a man of few words and fewer theatrics. Instead, he brings confidence and the kind of ease that comes from decades spent perfecting Italian flavours.
At the Italian Consulate garden in south Kolkata on 22 November, Bassi offered guests attending Festa Italiana 2025 a taste of Italy rooted in tradition.
“You need to put a lot, a lot of love into the pasta,” he said, smiling as he stirred a pot of sauce.
His signature dish for the night was Rigatoni al ragu di maiale, a classic Italian rigatoni pasta served with slow-cooked meat and tomato sauce, topped with Pecorino Romano, a hard and salty Italian cheese grated and added to pasta.
His signature dish for the night was Rigatoni al ragu di maiale
Bassi began his career under chef Igles Corelli at Trigabolo di Argenta before joining the legendary Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence at just 19. For more than two decades there, he helped the restaurant secure multiple Michelin honours, including regaining its third star in 2003.
In 2015, Bassi set out on his own path and founded the Confusion restaurants in Verona and Porto Cervo, where he continues to experiment with modern Italian flavours. Today, he divides his time between Sardinia, academic collaborations and international culinary events that promote Italy’s evolving food culture.
Bassi chose to present something deeply traditional during his Kolkata stop. “This dish is a symbol of Italian cuisine. We do not need to change too much. Not too much fantasy. Some dishes must stay exactly as they are,” he said.
Italian maestro Italo Bassi shares his love for traditional pasta and explores Kolkata’s flavours during his India visit
Speaking passionately about the importance of ingredients, Bassi insisted that quality is everything in Italian cooking. “The quality of the ingredients is the most important. If you choose well, the pasta will already be very good.”
During a cooking interaction at the Consulate garden, Bassi demonstrated Amatriciana, the classic sauce made with tomatoes, guanciale.
“This is very Italian,” he said, lifting a spoonful of the simmering sauce. “Very typical. One of the symbols of pasta in Italy.”
While the dish is “home food” in Italy, it rarely appears on the menu at his fine dining restaurant in Sardinia. “We cannot do a typical dish in a Michelin star restaurant,” he said. “We do something modern, something gastronomic.”
Chef Italo Bassi (left) was hosted by Consul General of Italy in Kolkata Riccardo Dalla Costa (right)
Bassi’s maiden Kolkata visit had its share of market exploration. “This morning we went to the fish market, meat market, and vegetable market,” he said. “It was incredible.”
He also travelled through India before arriving here. “I stayed in New Delhi and after Kolkata, we will be going to Bangalore,” he said. “We liked the Indian food very much, but it is a little bit spicy for us.”
Asked if he tried any Bengali dishes, Bassi laughed. “Yes, for sure. We love it. But a little bit spicy too,” he said, gesturing with his hands.
Bassi is also intrigued by the way Indian chefs are reimagining their cuisine. “India has a big trend in modern Indian cuisine. I haven’t tried the food by Indian Michelin-starred chefs but I would love to,” he said.
The chef handed over freshly made hot bowls of pasta to the guests
Asked if he would use Indian ingredients to experiment, he chose a couple of spices to experiment with at this restaurant.
Despite the modern influences he embraces, Bassi insists that some culinary rules remain sacred. “Pasta is pasta. You respect the dish, you respect the tradition. And then you cook it with love,” he said, handing over freshly made hot bowls of pasta to the guests, sprinkled with Pecorino Romano and love.