“Good cooking is honest, tasty, and simple” Chef Antonio Salvatore.
ast October, the Rampoldi restaurant celebrated the 75th anniversary of this iconic institution of the Principality of Monaco, organized by Chef Antonio Salvatore. With a strong cultural legacy, Rampoldi became the home away from home of multiple celebrities over almost a century. Princess Grace of Monaco and Roger Moore used to dine here. Famous singers, fashion icons, and politicians also had their habits in this restaurant that used to serve traditional Italian food. After the years, the Rampoldi has reinvented and modernized itself while preserving this solid Italian heritage. Ideally located in the Carré d'Or, a two-minute walk from the Casino Square, the Rampoldi is still a singular place, where Prince Albert II of Monaco continues to carry these traditions.
In 2016, after a change of ownership and two years of restoration, the Rampoldi opened its door with a fresh look and a modern vision, with the young Chef Antonio Salvatore at the restaurant’s head. Ambitious and passionate about the Art of Cooking since an early age, Antonio brings Rampoldi an innovative vision to the restaurant business as a whole. In September 2020, La Table d’Antonio opened in the basement of the Rampoldi, offering a gastronomic Mediterranean cuisine that aims to deliver a unique culinary experience, with the best fresh products, adapting the menu according to the seasons. Indeed, Chef Antonio Salvatore selects regional, local and biological ingredients, from vegetables to fish and meat, at local markets and cooks all his dishes in a slow food manner, offering eclectic vegan and vegetarian choices.
Following the will of having only dainty products with the finest quality, Rampoldi launched a partnership with the historical Pastificio Gentile di Gragnano. They founded their business in 1876 and, since then, are a well-founded symbol of high-end quality and craftsmanship worldwide regarding artisanal pasta manufacture. You can find at Rampoldi a line of gourmet pasta to purchase and cook yourself to extend your culinary experience at home.
La Table d’Antonio Experience
Dine at La Table d’Antonio and experience a gourmet lovers tasting. The cozy and exclusive setting of the room that can accommodate only 15 guests is a dreamy occasion to dive into an intimate culinary venture. The Chef created the “Tradizione Discovery” menu of 6-dishes and the “A Mano Libera” menu in 8-dishes. The sommelier will advise you amongst more than 300 wine references from France and Italy to let you have the ideal pairing according to your preference and your menu’s selection. It is then the time for a fantastic parade of imaginative dishes, exquisite beauty with delicate and daring tastes and nuances. You will understand, at La Table d’Antonio, absolutely everything is homemade and with a lot of love. You should try the fresh homemade bread with truffle olive oil and coffee olive oil, which is unexpected, but I guess my favorite was the homemade butter. As we used to say, the simple things are the best, but Chef Antonio knows how to sublimate any ingredients. «Good cooking is honest, tasty, and simple,» said Chef Antonio Salvatore.
I discovered unique, savory tastes and excellent blends from the appetizer to the dessert, both in flavors and textures. The Chef’s plus, the presentation, and theatricality make it an unforgettable experience. A cloud of smoke leaves room for dessert, a perfect wow effect that will not leave you emotionless.
The Chef still has a surprise for you at the end of the feast, which I don’t want to reveal to let you enjoy this memorable, funny moment. There is no surprise that Chef Antonio won his first star at the Michelin Guide’s Star Awards Ceremony in Paris on January 18, 2021, for La table d’Antonio Salvatore at Rampoldi. Encouraged by the international press, his clients, and his passion for cooking, the Chef is already working with his teams to obtain his second Michelin star.
Monaco Abroad
With a business vision of the refined cuisine industry, Chef Antonio became the representative abroad of Italiano-Monegasque know-how.
Rampoldi and La Table d’Antonio are part of the Monte Carlo Hospitality Group, which gathers restaurants run by the Chef in Monaco and New York. The MCHG outlines Mediterranean hospitality’s excellence and warmness through the fine Monegasque dining creating a rekindled link between New York and Monte Carlo. At only 34 years old, Chef Antonio Salvatore is already running four restaurants in two of the most expensive city in the world.
Casa Limone and the Atlantic Grill in New York are the two other restaurants run by the Chef. Casa Limone is located a few steps from the Rockefeller Center, and the Atlantic grill is based in Lincoln Square. They both opened earlier this year, and the mission is to create a thousand-kilometer-wide embrace of Mediterranean atmospheres and excellent quality food. The bonds between New York and Monaco have always been strong, especially after the famous American actress became Princess Grace of Monaco and mother of Prince Albert II, the current Sovereign in the Principality of Monaco.
The MCHG and Chef Antonio plan to grow their presence in the Big Apple with two new places in 2022, with Rampoldi NYC and Monte-Carlo Patisserie. It will embody the class of the Rampoldi and the extravagant French patisserie that will offer a full-service restaurant experience. So chic!
