The smell of frying garlic and butter wafts through the air as chef Lapo Magni adds more ingredients to the pan. He’s whipping up one of his distinguished dishes alongside his mother, Elena Mattei. Born and raised in Italy, Magni learnt to cook in his parents’ restaurant. It was there that he decided to pursue a life of food exploration. In 2013, Magni entered and won the Italian cooking show La Terra Dei Cuochi. That was just his first taste of success. Today, Magni captivates the foodies of Cape Town with his mouth-watering recipes and their unique fusion of cultural elements.
At his restaurant, Lapo’s Kitchen, diners embark on the ultimate food adventure. Magni enchants guests with traditional Italian feasts inspired by South African flavours. “Afro-Italian cuisine is using heritage methodology and an incredible array of products that we find in the African land,” he says. The chef brings every recipe to life using ethical ingredients in an effort to support local farmers while eliminating excessive transportation. “A mix of cultures and cuisine can really help us develop more sustainable ways of eating,” Magni says.
From the subtle crunch of pine nuts in his pesto pasta to the delicate balsamic reduction drizzled over a kudu steak, Magni’s dishes are destined for success. Though he often returns to Italy to co-host cooking classes with his mother, it’s here in South Africa that his creations are serving an environmentally-conscious experience. “By changing the way we look at food, we can change the way we feed ourselves,” Magni says.
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