TAORMINA, SICILY (July 12, 2023) – V Retreats, the luxury division of VOIhotels, announces a new gourmet restaurant at Mazzarò Sea Palace, its 5-star, luxury hotel on the beach in Taormina, Sicily. The intimate restaurant, BLUM, opened in June with a menu of “disruptive Sicilian dishes” created by Executive Chef Riccardo Fazio. The restaurant joins the hotel’s signature Armònia restaurant, which enjoys a new look this season. And along with its Almarè bar, each overlook the bay of Mazzarò from splendid panoramic terraces.
BLUM seats 12 guests at 6, transparent-glass tables that seem to rest on the water, hovering on a platform balanced on the breaking waves. In front of guests is only the sea, the private beach and the uncontaminated nature of the bay of Mazzarò bookended by boulders protruding from the water.
Riccardo Fazio's dishes create an unexpected balance between the acidic, the citrus, the fresh, each finding space in unusual combinations on the BLUM menu. And yet Fazio’s menu never neglects the territory that hosts it, instead he contextualizes Sicilian cuisine in a wider dimension and in an absolutely contemporary guise.
Like his ravioli, which does not have Sicilian origins, but is paired with Sicilian ingredients, vegetables such as wild chicory, endive and a sauce of Tuma Persa, a now rare cheese on the island; crowned with mullet roe. His eel is marinated with yuzu and non-alcoholic apple cider; while the alcoholic part is given by Calvados (apple brandy); it is then cooked over a wood fire in a Kamado, which gives it the taste of barbecue and presented with Granny Smith sauce and a potato millefeuille.
Once the walls, the classic tablecloths and the territorial references have been removed, BLUM leaves room only for the sound of the sea and for Riccardo Fazio's cuisine, free from any stereotype.
Guest Chef Dinner
On Wed., July 12 at 8pm, Chef Riccardo Fazio will host a tandem dinner in the BLUM restaurant kitchen with two-Michelin-starred Chef Gaetano Trovato of Arnolfo di Colle di Val D' Elsa restaurant in the province of Siena.
The two chefs will alternate, creating a harmonious journey of taste that will enhance the passion for the flavors of Sicily and the appreciation of ingredients that has always distinguished the work of both in the kitchen. The gastronomic quest of Chef Trovato, who is originally from Sicily but Tuscan by adoption, is a ceaseless pursuit to rediscover the flavors and aromas that have accompanied him since childhood.
This journey in taste will be a seven-course meal that will pay homage to the Italian gastronomic tradition, all framed by the splendid view of the bay of Taormina that only the BLUM restaurant can offer. The courses will be accompanied by a wine selection from the Tasca D'Almerita cellar, with a range of wines from the area.
MAZZARÒ SEA PALACE PRESS KIT & PHOTOS HERE
More at blumrestaurant.com. The hotel is open seasonally from April to October. Room rates start at 500 euros/night with breakfast included.
Above: Mazzarò Sea Palace’s setting on Mazzarò Bay, its Terrace bar and a pool suite.
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About Mazzarò Sea Palace
Mazzarò Sea Palace is a 76 room and suite luxury hotel that occupies a privileged position on a sandy beach on Taormina, Sicily’s Mazzarò Bay. Each of its rooms have large terraces facing the sea, many with their own plunge pools. For the 2023 season, Mazzarò has a new gourmet restaurant, BLUM, set alongside the pool on two small terraces facing the sea and offering a refined menu based on local Sicilian ingredients. The restaurant joins the hotel’s signature Armònia restaurant, which enjoys a new look this season. And along with its Almarè bar, each overlook the bay of Mazzarò from splendid panoramic terraces. The hotel is open seasonally from April to October.
About V Retreats
VRetreats (https://vretreats.com/) is the new hotel brand by VOIhotels, targeted to the luxury segment of the Italian and international market. The collection is dedicated to lovers of Italian art, history and culture and aims to redesign the concept of luxury, no longer an end in itself, but as a key to accessing the beauty of Italy. Each of the eight retreats have been selected for their personality and peculiarities, aspects that VRetreats heightens, enhancing the nature of the original facilities: they are oases of beauty with an important past and embellished by cloisters, internal gardens and terraces where guests can reconnect with themselves and the surrounding place. The project aims to have 12 boutique hotels in three years, in iconic Italian locations, even off the beaten tracks: there are currently six, in Taormina, Rome, Venice, Lecce, Sardinia and the Italian Alps.
About J.MAK HOSPITALITY
J.MAK Hospitality (www.jmak.com) works alongside leading luxury hotels and travel services around the world to connect them with key travel agency partners and broader audiences who will impact their businesses and drive awareness. J.MAK focuses on hospitality brands with personality, helping each client articulate their individual flair, so they can authentically stand out. We harness our network to build relationships through in-person and virtual connection, as well as hefty marketing and social media engagement. We are passionate, experienced luxury travel experts disrupting the industry norm.
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