A Duet of Folklore and Finesse
A Duet of Folklore and Finesse
Written by Menna Elbadry
A high point of the third edition of Cairo Food Week, the evening at Scalini, Palm Hills celebrated a culinary duet between two distinct forces: Paolo Griffa, the Italian culinary virtuoso known for his Michelin-starred cooking, and Mohamed Alaa, the hosting restaurant's head chef. Griffa's renown stems from applying a pastry chef’s obsessive precision to savory dishes, a unique approach that earned him his Michelin star with breathtaking speed. Alaa's mastery lies in his role as a culinary bridge-builder, having returned from Scalini London to launch the Cairo outpost and define its unique Egyptian identity. The question on everyone’s mind was simple: what happens when Alpine artistry meets the confident flavors of the Nile?
The stage for this meeting was Scalini itself, a room of intimate shadows and light where slow jazz set a sophisticated pulse. Above, a coffered ceiling lined with mirrors fractured the warm candlelight, reflecting onto tables anchored by elegant white floral centerpieces. The entire setting was a masterclass in design, an understated backdrop perfectly tuned for the extraordinary meal to unfold.
The performance began with elegant aperitifs: creamy burrata crackers and crispy polenta bites that set a tone of refined fusion. The duet’s first movement was Griffa’s modernist yellowtail, defined by a surprising geranium sauce that played against the subtle sweetness of fig milk curd. Alaa’s counterpoint was a masterful duck okra ravioli, elevating the treasured Egyptian vegetable bamya into a rich filling, punctuated by bright lemon caviar.
But the night’s legend was born from a single dish: Chef Griffa’s pasta “chiocciole.” He had taken Molokhiya, Egypt's beloved stew, and utterly reimagined it. Divorced from its familiar viscosity, it became a vibrant, pesto-like sauce for pasta filled with tender snails. It was an audacious, brilliant tribute that captured the spirit of the entire evening: a taste of home, seen through a new, revelatory lens.
Following such a peak required confidence, which Alaa delivered with a playful and inventive interlude: a delicate, crisp biscuit artfully shaped into a herring bone, served alongside a vibrant disc of herring salad. Griffa returned with a roasted veal fillet that boasted a deeply caramelized crust, served in a classic sage sauce with herb butter, a testament to his classical finesse.
The finale showcased Chef Griffa’s foundational passion. A self-described "born pastry chef" who mastered pastry, ice cream, and chocolate after his training in Turin, his deep expertise was on full display. His dessert, a flourless hazelnut biscuit with vanilla ice cream and sharp coffee oil, silenced intellectual analysis. Its sophisticated construction simply melted away, evoking pure nostalgia: that universal taste of childhood joy that reminds us the most profound culinary experiences often tap into our simplest, most cherished memories.
As the two chefs emerged from the kitchen to a heartfelt ovation, their easy camaraderie was evident. This was more than a spectacular meal; it was a testament to the beauty that emerges from creative harmony and a bold declaration of Cairo’s place on the global culinary stage, proving its traditions are a vibrant springboard for a fearless and delicious future.
