Ciccio Sultano is delighted to announce the arrival of chef Riccardo Canella to Duomo in Ragusa Ibla. Riccardo will be joining Ciccio, focusing on the development and research of the menus at the two Michelin-starred Restaurant.
Each year, the team naturally evolves their menus and dining experience, building on the creative force that is Chef Patron, Ciccio Sultano, and his continued exploration of Sicily’s rich culinary heritage, discovering the tastes and flavours of lesser-known ingredients that make up the island’s unique ecosystem. Riccardo will play an active role under Ciccio in the menu development of the multi-awarded destination restaurant Duomo.
The two chefs met by chance during an industry event, and an inspiring collaboration was born. Since then, they have kept in touch, and a synergy has grown between them, resulting in an exciting new creative force. Hailing from Veneto in the northeast of the mainland, Riccardo’s international career has many influences, including his own regional cooking. This will be his first foray into the exciting terrain of Sicily.
Beginning in Ragusa, Ciccio and Riccardo intend to map out Sicily, immersing themselves deep into each area, discovering and rediscovering the bounty of produce found within the many ecosystems on the island. From lesser-known varieties to probably some of Sicily’s most iconic ingredients, some of which are often mass-exported and not as accessible locally. In a move to preserve their findings, they are planning to expand their investigation and research to catalogue each ingredient, its profiles and uses.
The resulting menus will showcase dishes imbued with innovative combinations of flavours that champion not just the island’s finest ingredients but also a reinvention and rediscovery of tastes long forgotten. Examples can be found in the truffle ice cream, prepared with a special variety of mushroom found in the local woods, or the, I feel zesty dessert elevated by the intense citrus character of flowers found on the island.
Ciccio explains, “Each year, we build on our experience of the one before and are always looking to the future. Now, with the impacts of climate change, the time has come to focus even more on what is actually on our doorstep and how we incorporate these ingredients into our dishes. I am delighted Riccardo has chosen to join us on this journey. We are indeed blessed to call Sicily with all its natural resources and incredible producers home.”
