SANTABBONDIO: GROWTH YEARS UNDER A GOOD STAR

Martin Dalsass laid the foundation for his special cooking style and success at the age of 29 at the restaurant Santabbondio in Sorengo near Lugano, which was the first restaurant he established with his family. His South Tyrolean roots and love for Italian cuisine inspired him to develop his very own kitchen style using only olive oil rather than butter. In the 1980s the culinary scene observed him do so with amazement. But success proved him right and the Michelin star followed quickly in 1986. For 22 years Santabbondio was considered the best gourmet address in Ticino in part thanks to the charm of the hosts Martin and Lorena. When the restaurant Santabbondio was at the peak of its development, Lorena and Martin Dalsass moved to the Engadina mountains where Martin and his son Andrea took on a new challenge with Talvo in Champfèr from 2011 on.