Renowned chef Pasquale Carfora is set to showcase his award-winning Italian flavours through a degustation menu at Finz Abu Dhabi this month.
Carfora, whose restaurant Aroma in the Netherlands has been selected by Michelin and recognised by Gault&Millau, will be serving up a selection of his signature plates. As noted by Michelin, the Italian chef “elevates tradition to new heights” through a “celebration of fresh seasonal ingredients, traditional Italian techniques and innovative ideas”.
Finz Abu Dhabi is the perfect venue to host the visiting chef, having been a selected restaurant in the Michelin guide for Abu Dhabi annually since 2023. Among the most awarded restaurants in the city, Finz was named the city’s best seafood restaurant by Fact Magazine in 2024, and by Time Out in 2023.
Guest chef Carfora will be hosted at Finz between January 30 and February 1. Guests will be able to enjoy chef Carfora’s signature dishes with amuse bouche options such as the Choco-olives, with galea olive compote, orange, wild fennel and cocoa butter, Rice Meringue, with roasted sardine, red onion and pine nuts, or the UAE-inspired Fake Truffle, a truffle-infused falafel served with squid ink and wild mushroom.
The unique culinary journey continues with appetisers such as the Beets & Yoghurt and Seabass “Acqua Pazza” with caper parfait, tomato and cold-press parsley oil, followed by a pasta course of Pasta Mista, starring a double-infused fish broth and seaweed salad, Turbot & Truffle, with handmade tortellacci filled with flavoured turbot topped with freshly-shaved truffle, and Autumn “Passatelli”, with cornfed chicken ragu, confit duck and quail with 70-month parmesan cheese. For mains, the Black Cod & Artichoke is a highlight, alongside the Lamb with Pistachio Crust, and the Celeriac, Parsnip & Burned Herbs.
Carfora’s dedication to innovation is further highlighted in the dessert course. For a small treat, the Friandise comes in three different flavour combinations, each more intriguing than the last, with Carfora pairing mushroom-infused cream, dark chocolate and truffle beignets, as well as ricotta, tomato jam and basil baba. The Cherries & Balsamico sees hangop cherry mousse paired with a 25-year-old balsamic vinegar, while the Limoncello Emotion puts the lemon liqueur centre-stage with an infused sponge and lemon crème anglais.
Chef Pasquale Carfora discovered his love of cooking while living between his parents’ house and his grandparent’s farm in Sabaudia, found in the Lazio region, south of Rome. After studying civil engineering at university, Carfora embraced his true passion, working at various award-winning restaurants across the country, including the one Michelin-star restaurant Nonna Rosa in Vico Equense, with an internship at three Michelin-star restaurant La Pergola in the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria.
Moving to the Netherlands and working at restaurants such as Grand Café Krasnapolsky inspired Carfora to combine Italian and Northern European cuisine, culminating in the launch of his very own restaurant – Restaurant Aroma Italian Fine Dining – after the pandemic.
Created with the support of his partner Elisa Leune, as well as her parents Jan and Paola, Aroma makes use of quality ingredients from across Italy paired with seasonal ingredients from the Netherlands, with a particular focus on the Veluwe region.
Aroma has gone from strength to strength, being named among the best Italian restaurants in the country by Lekker 500, as well as being recognised by both the Michelin and Gault&Millau guides.
