Marco Violano – Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta

Marco Violano – Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta

Marco Violano

Chef Marco Violano reveals how he artfully blends his Italian roots with contemporary flair to delight diverse palates while staying true to his heritage. At Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, he transforms cherished memories from his Puglian upbringing into dishes that balance tradition with modern sophistication.

– by Hesikios Kevin –

E: With your extensive international experience, how do you adapt your cooking style to suit the preferences and tastes of different cultures while staying true to your Italian roots?
A: I always strive to stay authentic and true to traditional flavours while adapting them to suit the times, rather than just focusing on the location. I also like to incorporate modern presentation styles.

E: Growing up in Puglia, Italy, you mentioned that your culinary inspirations began at home with your mother. How do you incorporate the flavours and techniques you learnt from your upbringing into your dishes at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta?
A: I always aim to keep flavours authentic, bringing back the memories of my mother’s cooking and the warmth of traditional dishes. For me, authenticity and tradition are at the heart of every creation. While I believe in the importance of technique to preserve freshness and enhance the visual appeal of a dish, I am careful to ensure that these techniques never overshadow the natural flavours. The goal is to let the true essence of each ingredient shine through, creating a harmonious balance between tradition and modern presentation.

E: Innovation seems to be a key aspect of your culinary style. How do you balance traditional Italian flavours with your creative menu development?
A: I enjoy stimulating the senses by adding an element of surprise to my dishes, whether it’s through unusual ingredients or a variety of textures. I love playing with different styles to create a unique experience in every bite.

E: What challenges do you face when introducing Italian cuisine to a diverse audience in Jakarta, and how do you overcome them?
A: The biggest challenge is often the availability of ingredients, which can be inconsistent. However, we’ve recently started working with local farms, and the results have been incredibly successful.

E: As the executive chef overseeing multiple dining outlets, room service, catering and banqueting at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, what strategies do you employ to maintain consistency and excellence across all culinary experiences?
A: Attitude is crucial, and leading by example is a model that your team greatly appreciates. Sharing your passion and dedication to your work helps to inspire and pass that enthusiasm on to others.

E: Can you highlight some of the signature dishes or menu items at all your F&B outlets here in Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta that best represent your culinary vision?
A: Our signature dishes include beef Rendang, lobster laksa, wagyu short ribs and all of our al dente pasta. Each pasta is made in-house using only semolina flour. Semolina offers numerous benefits, including supporting weight loss, promoting heart health and aiding slow digestion. Additionally, it helps achieve the perfect al dente texture. Al dente, which means to the tooth in Italian, describes pasta that is firm to the bite without being hard or chalky.


Parmigiana

Ingredients:

  • 100g eggplant
  • 30g tomato
  • 5g garlic
  • 10g onion
  • 10ml olive oil
  • 3g basil
  • 5g salt
  • 10g strong flour
  • 20g parmesan cheese
  • 3g mozzarella cheese
  • 20g tomato cherry
  • 3g scamorza

Method:

  1. For the tomato sauce: In a pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion, seasoning with salt and red chilli. Add the cherry tomatoes, crushing some of them. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
  2. Slice the aubergine using a slicer. Sprinkle both sides of each slice with salt and lightly dust with flour.
  3. Deep-fry the aubergine slices until golden, then drain and let them cool.
  4. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
  5. To assemble: In a baking dish, spread about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Add a layer of fried aubergine slices, allowing them to overlap slightly. Top with about a third of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with a quarter of the parmesan and scamorza cheese. Add a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon over some more tomato sauce and repeat the layers two more times, finishing with the remaining mozzarella. Firmly press down on the layers once assembled. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  6. Serve with tomato coulis on the side.

If you want a crispier surface for the parmigiana, bake for an additional 10 minutes at the end, uncovered, until the top turns golden and crisp.

Exquisite Taste Volume 45


Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta
Capital Place
Jalan Gatot Subroto
Jakarta 12710, Indonesia
T: (+62) 2122771888
E: reservations.jkt@fourseasons.com
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IG: @fourseasons