Giancarlo Zanolli and a dream called Kus
Giancarlo Zanolli is the founder of the culinary gem of Baldo, the Taverna Kus of San Zeno di Montagna. In some way, a druid dividing between Lake and Mountain. A great expert of the territory delicacies whose value, with traditional but elegant and genuine cuisine, he’s been able to increase during the years. In his Taverna,seasonality and the ability to select the raw ingredients are the extra elements that distinguish him.
Together with him, chef Stefano Lorenzi from Caprino Veronese, who during these recent years, has created a virtuous combination with Giancarlo, has been able to interpret his culinary philosophy with a sophisticated gourmet technique by also taking care of the aesthetic of the dish and its overall pleasantness.
In the beginning there was a stable
Once walked past the white stones of the Taverna Kus, one travels back to the 1600s, a world that Giancarlo Zanolli has been able to transform into a monument. Those stones and walls are nothing but the living testimony of his father’s old stable, where young Giancarlo used to smell all the hay and milk scents.
“ It all started in 1990 – says Giancarlo – when, a couple of years after my father’s passing, I decided to transform the stable and the farm into a passion of mine that had always been in my heart: giving more value to the Baldo Garda territory through its extraordinary raw materials. I began with a small brewery until I decided to convert it into an actual restaurant in 1998″.
Discovering Monte Baldo
Eating at Taverna Kus means diving into Ginacarlo’s culinary world. All ingredients come from his thorough selection of raw materials, his daily life experience of the territory, and a productive dialogue with small vendors: butchers, shepherds, mushroom pickers, chestnut producers, Lake fishers, and many others.
” Ever since the beginning, I chose only my territory My biggest desire was for Taverna Kus to become a true interpreter of tradition and an ambassador of the values that tie me to these places, which made my dream come true. We place all this in a dish, truthfully following seasonality since Baldo Garda is rich in raw materials all year round. Then there is Stefano, the chef who can actually make my biggest ambitions come alive!”
A monumental wine cellar
Visiting the conical-shaped wine cellar with Giancarlo Zanolli means diving into a small Gothic wine sanctuary surrounded by wine bottles on top of Lessinia’s stones. The selection is mostly local, but it also includes some of the best international denominations and rarities, making this a unique wine selection, both for the accuracy and quality of the labels.
The right dish for the San Michele Valpolicella Superiore
The chef tells us about his historical dish that identifies Taverna Kus and has been included in the menu ever since its opening: The Kus Salty Breakfast.
“This dish is a must: a truffle for breakfast. It is salty eggnog with a summer black truffle from Monte Baldo and Parmigiano Reggiano, covered with a Parmigiano Reggiano mousse, served in a small cup with a small savory brioche and some Parma DOP next to it”.
We accompany it with the San Michele Valpolicella Superiore, which is able to surround it in its freshness and flavor, typical of Fumane’s valley, creating a balanced and elegant combination.