Angelo Micheli, architect and artist, for years a collaborator of Michele De Lucchi at the studio in Milan aMDL, and Moreno Cedroni, chef with two Michelin stars at La Madonnina del Pescatore in Senigallia, took part in this encounter at the Poltrona Frau showroom on Via Manzoni, in the historic Palazzo Gallarati Scotti.

The two share a craftsman’s working method, with great attention to detail, and a taste for research and experimentation. Cedroni’s cuisine combines creativity and ethics, while Micheli, together with De Lucchi, focuses on awareness in living and dwelling: all the work of the studio focuses on saving energy, materials and space.

After the greeting by the host of the event Piero Valentini, general director of the Marches-based company, who pointed out that Poltrona Frau shares – with the two guests – the focus on the choice of raw materials (in the case of Poltrona Frau, fine leathers), craftsmanship and sustainability, the conversation moderated by the journalist Federico De Cesare Viola developed along the lines of passion for natural materials and ingredients, and the need to promote sustainability, in keeping with the themes of Expo Milano 2015.

Craftsmanship is the distinctive trait of the studio aMDL, and it is an important aspect because it puts the designer and the artisan into contact in the phase in which the idea becomes an object or a work of architecture. This is why the studio has always had great respect for those who “produce with the hands,” precious collaborators with whom to work, establishing a human relationship that leads to sharing, never to the imposition of an idea.

In the case of a chef the situation changes. The chef is the inventor, designer and craftsman, all at the same time. The human relations, in this case, are established with suppliers who provide quality raw materials.

Another important aspect is knowledge of the material. For Micheli it is wood, which is always surprising, always changing, innovative. As a result it transforms objects, projects, making them always new. The same is true for Cedroni: cooking means knowing products. Only through in-depth knowledge can food be prepared properly. Also using new materials, ingredients in this case, like miso, coconut, quinoa, amaranth, instead of the traditional parsley and basil.

Finally, recovery and sustainability. How can design contribute to reduce waste? Both speakers agreed that the term sustainability has been a bit overworked: sustainability should simply be practiced, it is a question of dignity and respect for the environment.

The gift Cedroni offered to those on hand for the evening, in fact, was a salvaged dish, a bread soup (made with leftover stale bread) with vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar and olive oil) and salt cod (including the skin, also a salvage operation), for a truly sustainable repast.

The wines tasted during the event were Petruccino and Guardiavigna by Podere Forte (www.winelandscape.com), made with hand-harvested grapes, passing several times down each row in the vineyard to pick the grapes at the perfect moment of ripeness.

Photo Saverio Lombardi

 

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Angelo Micheli, left, and Moreno Cedroni
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Federico De Cesare Viola moderator, left, and Piero Valentini, CEO of Poltrona Frau
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From left, Moreno Cedroni, Federico De Cesare Viola, Angelo Micheli