What is your earliest memory of eating out in Rome?
When I was 13 months old, in 1975, I took my first steps at 1:30pm in a trattoria in the Roman Ghetto, with a slice of Morello cherry and ricotta tart in my hand.
Which dish do you feel the most affinity with in terms of culture and life experience? Does it have an interesting story behind it?
The most essential dish for me is, of course, carbonara. I haven't invented anything, but we may have elevated it to fine dining. I've got plenty of anecdotes, but one of them is about how in an ambulance to keep a sick friend awake, I told him the authentic recipe.
What is your favorite traditional dish and why, and when do you eat it?
Fettine coated in breadcrumbs and fried – in oil, not butter as our Milanese brothers do. I especially like them cold in the evening, when I get home and they're waiting patiently for me.
Which of your dishes would you recommend to someone visiting Rome (and your restaurant) for the first time? Which is the most emblematic?
Our chef makes an excellent risotto, not really a typically Roman dish, but "Romanized" with butter and anchovies. I highly recommend it.
Artichokes alla giudia or artichokes alla romana – which do you prefer, and why?
Definitely carciofo alla romana with mint. I don't like the fried carciofo alla giudia. Artichokes are a very serious matter.
In your spare time, is there a place you go to indulge in typical Roman cooking, and what do you find particularly interesting about the place?
I spend my free time at the home of my good friend Federico Esposito, who runs his restaurant, Da Francesco, on Piazza del Fico in the center of Rome. He prepares authentic cuisine and pizza alla romana. He excels at making amatriciana and bucatini, which by no account should be missed.
In your opinion, how has the restaurant business in Rome changed over the last 20 years? And what about the clientele?
It is the clientele that changes the restaurant business and not the other way around. More than being changed, it has been upended. The old trattorias have been pushed aside to make way for youthful, ethnic, and fusion bistros.
Can you tell us a funny anecdote that has happened to you during your career?
As an AS Roma fan, I prepared a carbonara al cucchiaio for Totti.
Which area of Rome do you think is the most interesting from a gastronomic point of view, in terms of offering something different or having a dynamic culinary scene?
I think it's actually my neighborhood, Largo Argentina/Piazza Navona/via Giulia, where you'll find Three Star restaurants, the best cocktail bar in Rome, the best seafood restaurants in the city, and the famous Roscioli, which is great for both charcuterie and pizzas.
Which is the fine dining restaurant (aside from your own) that you recommend to your guests the most often?
The ones I suggest are my two neighbors: Two Michelin Star Il Pagliaccio and One Michelin Star Per Me Giulio Terrinoni. Our windows are so close that we can throw breadcrumbs at each other in the evenings.
Speaking of cocktail bars, do you have a favorite for an aperitivo with friends?
I have two, although I recommend them more for an after-dinner drink than an aperitivo. They are Jerry Thomas and Drink Kong. They are fabulous.
Outside Rome, there are many interesting areas to spend the weekend: Tuscia, the coast, Castelli Romani… Is there one in particular that you would suggest? What is it that appeals to you?
The most vibrant and comprehensive culinary hub at the present time is Fiumicino, where you can eat seafood in all guises prepared by colleagues of mine at the top of their game.
Travel notes
Restaurant Pipero Roma
Da Francesco, piazza del Fico 29, Roma
Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, via del Moro 10, Roma
Drink Kong, piazza di San Martino ai Monti 8, Roma
Hero image: Alessandro Pipero
