With its roots deep in the Tuscan countryside and nearly a decade of acclaim in Dubai, Il Borro Tuscan Bistro has become synonymous with authentic Italian dining in the UAE.
At the heart of this culinary legacy is Executive Chef Andrea Campani, the man behind the company’s estate’s signature philosophy of seasonality, simplicity, and provenance. Based at the Il Borro estate in Tuscany, Campani recently visited Dubai to unveil a special seasonal menu, crafted with ingredients sourced directly from the estate’s organic farm. In this interview, Chef Campani shares how Il Borro continues to deliver a true taste of Italy, the importance of using fresh, homegrown produce, and the secret to the Dubai outpost’s lasting success in an ever-evolving dining scene.
Il Borro is known for its deep roots in Tuscan tradition. How do you balance authenticity with innovation in your approach to Italian cuisine?
I think authenticity is the most important ingredient of all. Innovation is the drive to make the authenticity contemporary, and I think we do that very well. We have an incredible opportunity to combine Italian tradition with innovative techniques, and we embrace that. Sometimes, especially in Italy, to do things in “a modern way” can be frowned upon, but we should embrace it as well as embracing tradition and let the two complement each other.
The concept of Italian tradition has changed a lot. Many years ago, people used to cook more at home. That was authentic cooking. But today, of course, that has changed. People don’t cook as much at home, and so they are seeking these kinds of authentic experiences from restaurants. Authentic Italian cuisine has become something to discover, even for Italians, who are no longer eating home-cooked meals the way previous generations did. The younger generations often have to go to a restaurant to try our traditional dishes!
What does that recognition mean to you to be Michelin selected, and what would it take for Il Borro Tuscan Bistro to get a Michelin Star?
For many years, we have been selected by Michelin, but still, we have not received that star. We are still trying to find the secret recipe! It’s sometimes really hard to understand what they’re looking for, and it’s very intriguing to us. Intentionally, they keep it a bit mysterious, and I think this is what keeps it so appealing!
Can you tell us about your journey as a chef and how your culinary philosophy has evolved over time?
I started a long time ago! I was just 14 and one of my good friends left home very young to go to school. I was very inspired by him, and so I decided to follow in his footsteps, and I went to school in the city, and I started to find many great chefs and teachers. Secondly, I always had a lot of fun when my parents would cook, and I enjoyed being at the dinner table, so I wanted to find a way to be within this ambience every day. Cooking makes me happy and reminds me of home, and I’m happy when people eat and feel happy too!
Along the way, I had the chance to meet many great chefs who opened my eyes. We are not here just to cook; we are providing a service, and we are making people happy. We do something that we love to do, and yes, sometimes we are working 14-hour days, and honestly, I never stop even when I leave the restaurant, but I love it.
There is also a responsibility to others. We work closely with numerous local suppliers in our area, and as a result, we have established a network of local farmers who would have otherwise disappeared over time. We work with individuals who have a small quantity of ingredients, and we also showcase what they do. Additionally, as a chef, I have a lot of responsibilities in the kitchen, beyond just my job. And this, I think, makes me more proud of my job. And then I have the chance to travel and meet different people who offer new experiences. I am very lucky to have these opportunities.
Tell us about the local produce you source in Tuscany, and do you do the same here in Dubai?
We have been here in Dubai for almost ten years, but we worked very hard at the beginning to find the right suppliers for the restaurant. We worked closely with suppliers to convince them to source specific ingredients from Italy. We also produce our own ingredients on our estate in Tuscany. We produce Extra Virgin Olive Oil, honey, and bake our own bread. We are also working hard to send some of our fresh vegetables from our farms in Italy. We are working to bring cheese because we have a pecorino cheese production facility at Il Borro. We have over 1,000 hectares of land where we produce all of these things, so we really do keep it within our family. We also sell many of these items here in the restaurant, and we want our guests to experience them directly from the farms.
Tell us about Il Borro in Dubai – how does it maintain the same flair as the Tuscan branch while also showcasing its individuality?
We have some signature dishes, of course, that you can find at all of our restaurants – the pappardelle pomodoro, for example – it’s made with our bread and fresh tomatoes, and our tomato sauce is from Italy. But then every restaurant also needs a different approach, depending on the location. The expectations of guests from restaurant to restaurant are very different. Someone who visits us in Tuscany may want to stay for a long, lazy afternoon, while someone in Dubai may want to come for a quick business lunch; therefore, we have to cater to these different types of clientele. What we don’t want to lose is the authenticity of what we offer.
One major difference between Dubai and Italy is the lack of distinct seasons. In Tuscany, we closely follow the cycle of the land, adapting our menu throughout the year based on what’s available. In Dubai, we try to do that a little, but it’s not as strong as in Italy and of course, there are things like burrata that everyone in Dubai loves, so we take this into consideration as well as knowing that we are catering to a wide clientele that is both residents and tourists.
You recently had a special menu in Dubai for one day – tell us about this.
It was a great opportunity for our guests as it’s something we do once a year, bringing the Il Burro dishes from Tuscany for one night only. On this menu, we cook with at least 90 per cent of our own ingredients. We have, for example, Tortelli, filled with pecorino cheese, which is made 100 per cent with our own ingredients from our farm. We had a zucchini millefeuille, which is a typical summer salad in Tuscany, followed by the beef fillet, and then dessert made with raspberry and ricotta cheese.
What do you think is the secret to longevity in the restaurant business today, and why do you think Il Borro is so successful in Dubai?
I think that if you come to Il Borro, you can have a truly authentic experience with genuine flavours from Tuscany. You can come here and have the same experience that people have in Tuscany, even if you’re in front of the Burj Al Arab! You can follow the processes behind all of our ingredients, and there is so much authenticity to what we do, and all of our guests are part of that experience.
What’s your favourite dish to cook?
As an Italian chef, I have to say spaghetti pomodoro! Every time I make it, I try to add a little something to make it better. For dessert, I love to cook chocolate dishes.
What do you like to do outside of the kitchen?
I like to walk a lot. Near our house, we have a mountain. I like to walk there; it’s quite isolated, so I feel relaxed and detoxed, but I can still see my local area from above. I enjoy fishing and being in nature, particularly in a calming environment. I also love to travel and discover new things, and, of course, I enjoy meeting up with my friends in a restaurant and savouring good food!
