VENTO DI PASSIONE – WIND OF PASSION
On 28 March 2025, an extraordinary culinary event took place at Hofgasse 4 in Graz, taking guests on a culinary journey between Mediterranean joie de vivre and Asian sophistication. ‘Vento di Passione’, organised by A.G. Brigante & Co. in collaboration with mizu-san and Semplicemente a Mano, marked the start of a planned series of tasting evenings that will fuse different enogastronomic cultures.
A top-class fusion
mizu-san by Daniel Grobnik and Manuel Tocci from Bologna, delighted guests with their craftsmanship: Daniel with his masterful fish preparation, Manuel with skilfully handmade, filled pasta. Supported by high-quality products from Jolanda de Colò, known for her excellent delicatessen, a 5-course tasting menu was created that brought together the best ingredients from all over the world.
The menu with wine pairing
The culinary journey began with an exquisite set course of Lucanus panettone with Cantabrico sardines, miso butter and smoked tuna & swordfish carpaccio from JDC LAB. This prelude was accompanied by a refreshing Prosecco Progettidivini Zero Dosage.
This was followed by an amuse-gueule with calamari croquettes, finger lime aioli and a sophisticated shot of Mela Campari with Julia apple juice from Friuli.
The first course presented a Bluefin Tuna Tartare with togarashi, Amalfi lemon and sesame dressing and a crispy Montasio cheese crust. This was served with a Collio Ribolla Gialla from Castello di Spessa.
In the second course, mini gnocchi (chicche di patate) with Japanese scallops and fresh truffles spoilt the taste buds, accompanied by a Collio Friulano.
The third course set special accents with Hiramasa amberjack sashimi, pasperge and a yoghurt-buttermilk velouté. Kombu oil and an autumn finger leaf rounded off the dish perfectly, harmonising with a Collio Pinot Grigio.
The fourth course was an exquisite combination of red prawns from Mazara del Vallo (Sicily) in handmade elongated tortelli with smoked ricotta. The accompanying Collio Sauvignon Blanc rounded off this flavour experience perfectly.
The sweet finale was a poached pear with almond and mascarpone cream, flamed sabayon and caramelised almonds. The artisan beer ‘NECTAR’ with chestnut honey from 32 Via dei Birrai was the perfect accompaniment.
An evening full of enjoyment and socialising. The event was a complete success and left nothing to be desired. The guests were delighted with the successful combination of high-quality cuisine, fine wines and a warm, convivial atmosphere. ‘Vento di Passione’ impressively demonstrated that the fusion of Mediterranean and Asian cuisine creates an unforgettable flavour experience.
A.G. Brigante & Co, Manuel Tocci and mizu-san would like to thank all guests and look forward to continuing this unique tasting series in the future!
Further information and future collaborations can be found on Instagram:
