Pianeta Terra in Centrum has been voted the 19th best Italian restaurant outside of Italy by 50 Top Italy. Fabio Antonini (55) is thus the owner of the best Italian restaurant in the Netherlands. Congratulazioni!

How does it feel to be 19th in the world?

“Grazie! We are surprised by the big leap: last year we were 30th. I strive to cook better every day, so it’s nice that it’s being noticed. We were able to attend the grand gala evening in Milan. It was great to meet colleagues from Shanghai, Dubai, Washington, and Singapore.”

And that as an Italian restaurant without pizza.

“Yes, sometimes it’s difficult to explain. But how many Dutch chefs do you know who cook purely Dutch cuisine? Exactly, none. So why should Italians only be allowed to cook classic Italian dishes? By the way, we do make fresh pasta every day.”

And you prepare ‘slow food,’ what does that mean?

“We work as much as possible with Dutch products, preferably from suppliers around Amsterdam. At our restaurant, you can enjoy products that are hardly grown anymore because they don’t find space in large-scale distribution. That’s why our menu is different every day, depending on what is delivered.”

What do you serve that we won’t easily find elsewhere?

“For example, we collaborate with ‘De Keuken van het Ongewenste Dier’ (The Kitchen of the Unwanted Animal). Crows, coots, and swans are massively hunted in the Netherlands but not eaten. At our restaurant, you will find crow breast on the menu. And crow is delicious, even more so than pigeon.”

And now, do you give it your all for the top spot?

“No, I only find a prize enjoyable if we receive it for what we want to do. I prefer not to change my philosophy for a prize.”

Read more at: Parool.nl