Young and talented Chef Alba Esteve Ruiz amazed us with “Flavors of the World” Italy

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This weekend was a delicious one indeed! Pure heaven for a foodie. The 4th edition of Flavors of the World was dedicated to Italy, featuring a very talented and young chef, Alba Esteve Ruiz from the restaurant Marzapane in Rome, Italy.

The first two nights the event took place in La Piazzetta here in Altos de Chavón, beautifully decorated with sunflowers, candles and even one of our favorite spirits, Chivas Regal of course! La Piazzetta was most certainly a magical place to be this past weekend.

We were welcomed with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose Champagne and taken to our table where we were presented with the menu for the evening. As we anxiously awaited the start of the meal, we saw more and more people arrive as excited as we were to try everything Chef Alba had prepared. In a “behind-the-scenes” showcase, we were able to see the chef at work and witness her dedication and attention to every detail. From the start, we knew it would be a night to remember!

The menu was divided into a 6 course meal, each paired with a specific drink in an intent to enhance the various flavors present. As the night progressed, we could see that all the plates were part of a collective, beautifully presented and in part influenced by the Orient where Chef Alba Esteve Ruiz spent some time. An incredible mix of Mediterranean and Oriental food that was truly delightful, we were surprised with new textures and combinations in each course.

Even though everything was delicious, a unanimous two favorites were agreed upon around the dinner table: the fresh pasta buttons stuffed with Oxtail in a roasted vegetable stew, paired with Chivas Regal 18 on the rocks (which most of us kept for the night and paired with the rest of the meal!) and the dessert that consisted of green apple puree, yogurt cream, olive sauce, and caramelized soy sauce. Exquisite! In both of these dishes you could taste the influences Chef Alba was communicating. From the dessert, I learned what Umami was – a category of taste in food; besides sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, it is a Japanese word that literally means “deliciousness.”

Thank you, Chef Alba and Flavors of the World for a wonderful night. We definitely enjoyed it! Next month, with be the 5th edition featuring Mexico, and we can’t wait to see what-and-who it will bring our luxury resort! As soon as we have the information, we will share it with you! Stay tuned for our coverage and pictures of Sunday’s brunch!

The following pictures were taken by Laura Perdomo on Friday, August 19th during the first day of “Flavors of the World Italy” with Chef Alba Esteve Ruiz:

The following pictures were provided by Casa de Campo and taken by Mairobi Herrera on Friday, August 19th: [nggallery id=2666] The following pictures were taken by Wilfredo Alvarez on Saturday, August 20th: [nggallery id=2665]

MORE GREAT “FLAVORS OF THE WORLD” TO COME

“Flavors of the World” is a gastronomic journey highlighting the collection of casual, gourmet, and fine-dining options available at Casa de Campo. It is a monthly occurrence through November where internationally-renowned chefs work alongside the resort’s creative culinary team, led by Executive Chef Anthony Masas, in the creation of unique, weekend-long culinary affairs featuring a different flavor of the world. This gives us foodies the opportunity to mingle with globally-recognized talent and feed our bellies with delicious food creations!

• Flavors of Mexico: weekend of September 15th
• Flavors of Portugal: weekend of October 21 at La Caña by Il Circo
• Flavors of Peru: Final event, November

To book your reservation for the next “Flavors of the World” event call the resort directly at (855) 877-3643, (800) 336-5520, or (809) 523-3333 ext. 3165 and 3166.