An alchemist of taste and emotions, with a career sprinkled with awards and distinctions, passing through Ireland, Estonia, Norway, Iceland, and Spain, today Nico Lontras is the Chef of Casa Timiș restaurant.
What is your first culinary remembrance?
N.L.: Cabbage pie, when I was five years old, I was in love with it.
What’s your biggest gastronomic revelation?
N.L.: The lamb chop discovered in Ireland. Until then I was very reluctant.
Where does the passion for cooking come from?
N.L.: It was something gradually, clearly increasing day by day. As a child, I spent a lot of time with my mother in the kitchen. It’s true that, back then, I just licked the dishes after the creams were ready…
Was it a key moment? A revealing experience?
N.L.: Indeed, was the first baker I ever watched shape the dough. With firm gestures, a mixture of toughness and gentleness. The magic of the rising dough, the smell of fresh bread…
When was the first time you cooked?
N.L.: When I was 18, an omelette. And some fries.
What recipe are you most proud of?
N.L.: The deer tenderloin from Casa Timiș menu.
And for dessert?
N.L.: ”Țuică” sorbet, also found in the Mansion’s menu
How is that possible?
N.L.: My grandfather inspired me. When I was little boy and used to ask what do we have for dessert, he always said: ”țuică”.
So your cuisine is also a throwback to childhood…
N.L.: They all connect. Terroir, my history, Romanian gastronomic stories.
What is the main feature of Chef Nico Lontras?
N.L.: Cooking with passion, as we do at Casa Timiș.
How does the ideal customer look like to you?
N.L.: The ideal customer is one who understands the concept of the restaurant, the one that comes here and leaves himself in the hands of the chef.
Classic or modern cuisine?
N.L.: Both, they go hand in hand. The modern cuisine is just an evolution of the classic one.
Your culinary dream?
N.L.: I want Casa Timiș to become very famous because it already is a reference point in Romanian cuisine. I strongly believe in this place and its potential.
Where is your culinary art heading?
N.L.: At the Mansion, I have created a signature cuisine: modern, tasty, and healthy. The harmony on the plate and the balance of ingredients are connected to the products of the Dealul Mare region.
Is the nature around the Mansion generous?
N.L.:Very generous! From vines to game, we can find everything we need here: mushrooms, lavender, truffles…
Truffles?
N.L.:That’s right. We use truffles from Dealul Mare in our cuisine. We have an orchard with apples, pears, nectarines, peaches. We cultivate melons and grow a tasty variety of tomatoes and other vegetables in our greenhouses. Above the terrace we created an herb garden. Five types of basil, three types of mint, tarragon, lovage… And, in construction, we have a trout pond.
What’s the iconic ingredient of Casa Timiș restaurant?
N.L.:The number 1 ingredient is the grapevine. We serve skewers from vine shoots, we make ”sarmale” with the leaves, with grape must – ice cream, and we use wine in sauces and jellies.
That sounds absolutely delicious!
(to be continued…)
