Here, for the first time, they prepared the Bellini cocktail - a mixture of white peach juice with Prosecco sparkling wine, named after the 15th century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini - and beef carpaccio: a very thinly sliced raw fillet garnished with pollock locks of mayonnaise and lemon juice. Carpaccio was created specifically for one Italian countess: her diet forbade any meat except raw. The dish was named in honor of another Italian artist, Vittore Carpaccio, - he was very fond of dark red tones.
This iconic bar, so beloved by the aristocracy of that time, became the progenitor of the network of Italian restaurants Cipriani, opened today around the world - in New York, Miami, London, Monte Carlo, Hong Kong, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and, of course, in Italy. In Dubai, we met with the 84-year-old son of Giuseppe Cipriani - Arrigo Cipriani, a novelist, professor at the University and the owner of the same Harry's Bar, as well as a chain of Cipriani restaurants around the world - although at his "very young" age, like himself says all the management of the restaurants belongs to his son.
Arrigo, everyone knows that Cipriani restaurants serve traditional Italian food of the highest quality. But there are many Italian restaurants, but only Cipriani dishes are distinguished by the unsurpassed taste of homemade food.
Arrigo Cipriani: We consider ourselves the most Italian Italians. Of course, the taste has a nationality, but the Italian taste in food is the most universal. Therefore, we are never tempted to change our traditions. The food must be real. Pasta should be pasta, risotto should be risotto. No need to invent anything. For us, innovation is a tradition. We always remain true to ourselves. Perhaps our secret is that in all our restaurants we deliver parmesan, prosciutto, olive oil and other ingredients from one Italian farm and have not changed our traditions for many years.
But why have Cipriani restaurants been so popular for over 80 years? For example, in New York you can meet the whole elite at Cipriani at lunch - Leonardo di Caprio will sit at one table, Anna Dello Russo at the other, and Naomi Campbell at the third.
Arrigo Cipriani: I would call this secret "complex simplicity." Chairs, tables and utensils were chosen as if by accident - to make it easier for customers to relax. Here, everyone is imbued with the spirit of luxury, which I define as freedom to return to the very essence of things. Luxury should be simple. And the soul must live in it.
Let's get back to Harry's Bar. Tell us about the famous guests of this place, because Hemingway and Kerouac constantly came here.
Arrigo Cipriani: I think Hemingway was afraid of loneliness, so he always looked for a company, and at Harry's Bar the company was always great. Orson Welles drank two bottles of Dom Perignon in one sitting. And Truman Capote was eating shrimp sandwiches. And to this day, when Hollywood celebrities come to the city at the Venice Film Festival, they gather in Harry's Bar. Woody Allen and Nicole Kidman come here every time they come to Venice. Recently, for example, Helen Hunt visited us. Many, of course, today come to our bar out of curiosity, but the important thing is that then they will definitely come back.
What was Harry's Bar in the 50s?
Arrigo Cipriani: The post-war years were a great common holiday. Every day we sold at least a box of caviar. Then I met all the regular writers — Truman Capote, Hemingway and beatniks: William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac.
What kind of drinks did they prefer?
Arrigo Cipriani: The Bellini cocktail appeared already in 1948, but these guys preferred something stronger. For example, Hemingway loved martini according to his own recipe. He called it "Montgomery," in honor of an English general who once fought against enemies 15 times his strength - that’s how Hemingway mixed one part of vermouth with 15 parts of gin.
Tell us about the signature Cipriani martini.
Arrigo Cipriani: We always used a proportion of 10 parts of gin to 1 part of vermouth. Our martini is the driest cocktail in the world. Vermouth only slightly softens the juniper taste of gin. I take cocktails strictly because, it seems to me, there are few good bartenders left in the world. Today, bartenders play with cocktails, as famous chefs play with food.
How does Venice feel today?
Arrigo Cipriani: If we talk about the future of Venice, then the city, of course, will have to change. He completely lost his spirit. People come here to see the sights - but there are enough beautiful monuments everywhere. I believe that the city is a combination of sights and spirit. And in recent years, instead of the spirit of Venice, small fake hotels and small fake shops appeared, more like stalls. There are only 40,000 thousand of us local residents, and I am the youngest of them (laughs). And the city cannot exist without residents. But - nothing lasts forever under the moon.
What are the plans for the Cipriani network?
Arrigo Cipriani: We plan to open new restaurants. For example, in the spring of next year we will open the Cipriani restaurant in Riyadh. People from the Middle East know how to enjoy food, I like their attitude to life. Soon I will start to wear a shackle!
Cipriani dubai
In Dubai, the Cipriani restaurant opened in 2016 in the prestigious DIFC area. Whenever you come here - at noon, evening or even late at night - he will always be full of guests, and the most senior ones. And even when the DIFC calms down after working days - Cipriani is always noisy, music plays, and the hall is full of people.
Cipriani is synonymous with simplicity and luxury at the same time. This is a classic Italian cuisine and delicious cocktails. But, perhaps, it is the kitchen that attracts visitors to itself - the unsurpassed taste of these dishes remains in memory for a long time.
We recommend starting with traditional burrata: heads with a tender, almost liquid core will last for three. The delicate sweetness of tomatoes hides the light salinity of the cheese. Beef carpaccio "alla Cirpiani" - perfectly tender, served with a light and healthy salad of lobster, avocado, tomato, olives and beans. A salad from Alaskan king crab with olive oil and lemon is juicy and slightly sweet, while the lemon makes it refreshing.
The waiters pick up the dishes as soon as they are released - no delay or long pauses. Main dishes are also served quickly. The classic risotto or gnocchi and veal liver are very good - the portions are large (a nice contrast to most other expensive restaurants in Dubai), but they disappear instantly.
After the main dishes, a new white tablecloth is laid out on the table, for which dessert is served. For example, vanilla meringue - light, delicate, with notes of lemon peel - is ideal as a finishing touch to a meal.
And yet, Cipriani is above all an atmosphere. The atmosphere is a pleasant friendly company, easy nostalgia for the bygone era of the great novelists and existential philosophers, the Italian dolce vita, the ease of being and music of Frank Sinatra. The magic and charm of this place cannot be described - you just need to come here and enjoy the spirit and heart of Venice itself.
Interviewed by Irina Malkova
