Extra virgin olive oil has long been a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, but its popularity has steadily grown in restaurants and home kitchens worldwide.
In restaurants, extra virgin olive oil is used not only as a cooking oil but also as a finishing oil to add flavor and depth to an eclectic range of dishes.
Chefs appreciate its versatility and ability to enhance both simple and complex flavors. As a result, extra virgin olive oil has become a go-to ingredient in some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants.
See Also:The Farm-to-Table Restaurant Bringing the Cretan Diet Back in VogueNow, the brothers behind Frantoio Pruneti have opened a new restaurant amongst the rolling hills and silvery green olive groves in Greve, Chianti, in the heart of the central Italian region of Tuscany.
“We have been waiting for the right moment to share our ideas with everyone who loves good Italian food,” said co-owner Gionni Pruneti.
“This concept is a dream created to make guests’ experience unforgettable and to develop correct oil culture while being promoters of a good and healthy lifestyle,” added Paolo Pruneti.
The new Evo Cucina, Extra Floor Restaurant, is dedicated to showcasing the quality and versatility of its award-winning extra virgin olive oils.
Since 2016, Frantoio Pruneti has been awarded annually at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, including a Gold Award in 2024 for an organic medium Frantoio monovarietal.
The small restaurant, which has its roots in the 2019 opening of the first Pruneti Extra Gallery, offers an intimate and exclusive dining experience where every dish is thoughtfully crafted to highlight the rich, aromatic notes of the extra virgin olive oils.
The brothers anticipate that extra virgin olive oil’s distinctive flavor and healthful reputation will appeal to health-conscious and adventurous foodies.
Whether used in salad dressings, marinades, or as a key ingredient in pasta dishes and sauces, extra virgin olive oil adds a delightful dimension to every recipe.
“Each recipe contains extra virgin olive oil to provide a real exploration of Chianti Classico Flavor, as continuous care is taken through the process, ensuring consumers the best of our products and a real experience through the culture of extra virgin olive oil,” Gionni said.
Pruneti’s extra virgin olive oil takes center stage in every dish, served and incorporated in various ways to elevate the dish to new heights.
“The most funny and interesting thing is that most of the time, extra virgin olive oil is not even used in its natural consistency but transformed into a cream, a mousse or even a mayo or a butter,” Gionni said.
Several extra virgin olive oil varietals exist, each with a distinct flavor profile. Delicate has a mild flavor and is often used in light cooking, marinades and salad dressings.
Medium is slightly more robust and is great for sauteing, grilling and roasting, while robust is bold, peppery and great for hearty dishes or as a finish.
Throughout the tasting menu, starters and mains, Frantoio Pruneti’s eclectic range of olive oils complements each dish, from a Fruttato Equilibrato, which balances the beef tartar and trout caviar starter, to the Fruttato Intenso, which highlights the flavors of a local lamb cut.
Monovarietal Moaiolo and Frantoio oils, Colline di Firenze and PDO Chianti Classico also feature in various dishes, adding to the flavors and textures of classic Tuscan delicacies.
The olives are grown only a few feet away in the family’s ancestral olive groves, creating a literal field-to-table experience.
“We are not just the restaurant owners,” Paolo said. We are the farmers of our fields, the producers of our extra virgin olive oil, and the bottler, seller and promoter of our extra virgin olive oil.”
Including extra virgin olive oil in each dish does not stop on the plate. It is also incorporated into signature beverages and desserts, further elevating the experience and use of olive oil.
For example, Pruneti Fruttato Intenso complements the dark chocolate cream on the dessert menu. Meanwhile, a milder Fruttato Equilibrado highlights the sheep’s milk ricotta mousse and a monovarietal Frantoio complements the fiordilatte ice cream on the almond and orange cake.
In partnership with chef Chiara Valsecchi and hospitality expert Roberto Selvi, the paring of each course is meticulously considered with special selections of wine or the Pruneti mixOILogy beverages.
No detail was left to chance in this new Evo Cucina, which the brothers said promises a unique and delicious experience while teaching visitors about extra virgin olive oil.
They hope that by implementing these strategies, restaurants like The Extra Floor can effectively promote extra virgin olive oil while educating customers about its versatility and health benefits.
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