Meghana Harikumar
Bengaluru’s luxury dining scene is about to experience a rare culinary treat. This August, Le Cirque Signature at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, the city’s premier Franco-Italian fine dining destination, welcomes Michelin-starred Italian Chef Antimo Maria Merone for an exclusive two-night showcase. Known for his evocative cooking style rooted in Naples and refined through his global experiences, Chef Antimo will present a curated tasting menu that promises to be both nostalgic and progressive.
A proud Neapolitan and the creative force behind Estro in Hong Kong—a restaurant that has consistently retained its Michelin star and ranks among Asia’s Top 50—Chef Antimo Maria Merone is widely regarded as one of the leading voices of contemporary Italian cuisine. His culinary artistry is a unique dialogue between tradition and innovation, where dishes inspired by memory, family, and culture are reimagined with modern techniques.
As he prepares to bring a slice of Estro to Bengaluru, The Balcony Stories caught up with Chef Antimo for an exclusive conversation.
You grew up in Naples, a city with such a rich culinary heritage. How has your upbringing shaped your philosophy in the kitchen?
Surely a source of inspiration for many of my dishes, and an emotional attachment to my mother land.
When you think back to your earliest food memories, is there a particular dish or ingredient that still inspires you today?
I love tomatoes. I used them in many dishes and my family told me that when I was not even walking I was basically crawling around and stealing tomatoes from the balcony where they were getting riped.
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Estro means inspiration in Italian. What inspired you to choose that name for your restaurant?
I wanted to open a restaurant that clearly reflects my idea of Italian food, without boundaries and truly reflecting my inspiration, hence the word Estro.
Your dishes are often described as deeply rooted in nostalgia but forward-looking. How do you strike that balance between tradition and innovation?
I never see tradition as a boundary, but rather something that inspired my dishes. It could be a preparation, an ingredient, a smell, but tradition is never a wall.
Signature creations like the Squid Tomato Capers and Bottoni Parmigiano have become iconic. What’s the story behind them?
They are ideas I had in my mind. With work, trials, new techniques, I managed to realise these dishes that mostly represent my personality. They look simple, but there is a lot of work and research behind.
Neapolitan cuisine is known for its soul. How do you translate that essence to a global fine-dining audience?
I think my Neapolitan roots are shown in the passion I put in my cuisine and my work.
Estro has retained its Michelin Star for three consecutive years and ranks among Asia’s Top 50. What do you think sets it apart from other restaurants in Hong Kong?
I think Hong Kong has an incredible array of restaurants. I believe Estro has its own story. It is not another Italian, but one with its own personality and soul, and this has been seen and recognised by guests.
The design of Estro, modeled after a Neapolitan salotto, is intimate and storytelling-driven. How important is the dining space to the overall experience?
The space designed by Andre Fu is crucial to express my definition of hospitality. It is warm, welcoming, with that sense of understated luxury I love.
Your wine program at Estro is also much talked about. How closely do you work with your sommeliers in curating pairings?
We recently got a new Wine Director and we are expanding our list and offer. We try to have a personal approach and suggest Italian wines mostly in our pairings, highlighting the diversity of Italian wine.
This is your first time in India. What excites you most about bringing your cuisine to Bengaluru and to Le Cirque Signature?
I am thrilled to be here, see the country and be in such an iconic landscape. I hope to bring a slice of Estro to Bengaluru so that more people can know my cuisine.
Will the tasting menu here mirror Estro’s classics, or are you planning any unique twists for the Indian audience?
We will have some signature with a little twist, and a vegetarian tasting menu shaped exclusively for the event.
What do you hope guests will take away from this two-night experience?
I hope guests will have a freshest look at Italian fine dining scene that is developing in Asia.
You’ve cooked across Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Taipei, and Hong Kong. How has engaging with different Asian cultures shaped your understanding of Italian food?
These experiences shaped me deeply. Seeing other chefs and cultures opened up my mind and I take them as luggage for my future development.
Do you think Italian cuisine today is going through a renaissance on the global stage?
Italian cuisine is loved worldwide and I hope will always stay like this.
Many young chefs today look up to Michelin recognition as the ultimate goal. What advice would you give them about defining success in this industry?
Focus on the customers, not on the awards.
When you’re not in the kitchen, what do you enjoy cooking at home for yourself or your loved ones?
Pasta for my wife.
What’s the one ingredient you cannot live without in your kitchen?
Olive oil.
If you could cook a meal for anyone in the world—past or present—who would it be, and what would you make?
My version of stuffed mussel for my grandmother who is not with us anymore.
A Taste of Naples in Bengaluru
As Bengaluru prepares to welcome Chef Antimo Maria Merone, the city’s diners are in for a rare opportunity to witness the convergence of Italian heritage, global influence, and contemporary fine dining. With his culinary philosophy rooted in memory and his artistry elevated by innovation, the two-night showcase at Le Cirque Signature promises to be an unforgettable celebration of food, culture, and hospitality.
Meghana Harikumar
Editor
