Roteo is the restaurant inside the Hotel Musa Lago di Como set in the enchanting village of Sala Comacina. It is run by Robert Moretti and Matteo Corridori, who share a passion for cooking and a long-standing personal friendship. Roteo, an amalgam of their two names, is a tribute to their special understanding. The dream of starting a shared catering project dates back to their hotel school years, and two years ago, after gaining much experience in prestigious establishments in Italy and abroad, they finally grasped an opportunity to sign their own menu for a luxury establishment overlooking their beloved Lake Como.
Robert and Matteo's philosophy is rooted in an all-round ethical approach, through the choice of suppliers and ingredients, with the 2024 season drawing almost exclusively on what is grown in the Musa garden, the compost for which is derived from the restaurant's waste, and through the treatment of the employees, a brigade of around fifty young professionals between the ages of 18 and 36, the real driving force behind this enterprising project. As in the dishes, the key ingredient in the kitchen is the balance between the characters of the two chefs. While they may have at times conflicting views on detail, they have a shared and clear vision for the present and future of Roteo. Their motto is Think outside the box! With innovation and daring guiding the gastronomic choices of Robert and Matteo, who are ever seeking to embrace new ideas to bring out the very best in the local ingredients.
«Our cuisine can be defined as international,' explains Matteo. Having travelled much in the past, and still frequently travelling now, we like to take inspiration from other countries and cultures by interpreting local products in international key, while valuing and celebrating diversity. We use tomato for example to make sauce, but abroad it can be employed in a thousand different ways that are outside our own comfort zone. Italian cuisine is famous all over the world and because of our great tradition we often find it hard to break out of the mould, but it is essential to be able to do so to broaden our horizons». Among the dishes that best reflect the non-conformist approach of the young chefs are the fois gras, of controlled and strictly Italian origin, flavoured with basil and accompanied by Parmesan ice cream and a light raspberry drizzle, and the bronze-drawn Vicidomini selection 'spaghettone', cooked in a special borlotti bean-based miso enriched by the savouriness of Cetara anchovy colatura and the creaminess of Alpe di Colonno butter, all flavoured with Timut pepper.
The more adventurous guests can take choose from tasting routes, which change from season to season in accordance with the rhythm of nature, assuring the constant freshness of products. The first is a real voyage through the creative world of Robert and Matteo, their visiting card for Roteo and its original gastronomic proposal. Né Carne Né Pesce, on the other hand, is an ironic reworking of flavours and fragrances discovered on their travels abroad, while Aqua is a menu entirely dedicated to the element itself, polluted as it so often is by the reprehensible behaviour of mankind. These dishes are a tribute to marine and freshwater ecosystems and all their inhabitants, from fish to crustaceans, and from algae to molluscs.
Even the wine list, which is curated by the young sommelier Vladimir Giudici, reflects the resourcefulness and flair of the young brigade. As Matteo says: "We know that we often have to deal with customers who are not wine experts and find it hard to choose, so we decided to set the wine list not only by type and geographical origin, but also by feeling or mood. For example, there is Red Carpet for special occasions, with famous labels, while for more sophisticated and niche wines there is Intellectual". Everything at Roteo is considered in the most minute detail to ensure guests enjoy an unforgettable experience that reflects the hotel's high standards. The palette of gold, black, grey and white contributes to a sophisticated atmosphere in which to indulge in international flavours in an all-Italian setting.