Ossigeno

fs / you are a world apart from those chefs that feel dishes should be like paintings… vmm / there are different kinds of chefs. Some see cooking as culture, like Bottura³. Indisputable, given the fact that food identity is linked to cultural identity. Care for stylistic and organoleptic features should not be overlooked. But there are visions that are more important, in my opinion. I see the ingredients of the kitchen as a responsibility: it’s not only about eating something that is healthy but also sustainable, environmentally speaking. It is essential in these historical times that we are living in, where cooking as an end in of itself is no longer enough. fs / what do you do when you are not cooking? vmm / I am always outdoors. When I am not gathering, I practice outdoor sports, from hiking to mountain running, from climbing to canoeing. I enjoy becoming one with nature. It is like an obsession, even when I am listening to music. I have a Spotify playlist that I have named Lost in the Wood s, which includes electronic music and Nordic bands. And then there is my latest obsession, a record with the sounds of nature, such as ice melting or water running underground, that one of our partners gave to me. We listen to it as background music when we have our dinners at the Lab. fs / Let’s just say I go out now, gather some plants and cook them. Aren't there many risks? vmm / No doubt there are. Three mainly. One: Environmental damage. You need information to become a good forager - you need to know the environment, the roots, the geography… Two: Personal safety is at risk. There are toxic and edible plants that look very much alike and books are misleading. Have you ever seen Into the Wild 4 ? Well, that. Three: Physical training and skills such as orienteering are very useful. Foraging is not performed along paths but from the highest peaks to the coast. Some of these environments are tough, you need to know how to deal with them. And that is just for gathering... Then comes the best phase: Cooking. www.wood-ing.org ³ Massimo Bottura also wrote the foreword to Wild Mixology. Tecniche innovative e ingredienti selvatici per una nuova filosofia di miscelazione dei cocktail [Mondadori Electa, 2016, curated by Valeria Mosca and her Wood*ing - Wild Food Lab; texts by Enrico Vignoli and photo images by Marco Varoli]. 4 Into the wild [2007, 148’, directed by Sean Penn], based on the non-fiction book written by Jon Krakauer Into the wild [Villard Ed., 1996] 17 16 p o p - u p c h e f p o p - u p c h e f mustafa sabbagh, hidden souls_untitled, 2012 - credits & courtesy: the artist