The festival of chocolate artisanal wine from Modena, called “Sciocolà”, pays tribute in its 2024 edition to the Michelin-starred chef Massimo Bottura with a statue made entirely of the sweet at real height.
The work was produced by master chocolatier Mirco Della Vecchia, whom Bottura praised.
“I am speechless, the similarity is incredible! It is not just the craft of an artisan, but a true work of art,” said the chef, who also compared his activity to that of Della Vecchia.
“People often tell me that my dishes are pure art, but what I do is artisanal work, because my dishes have a use, a purpose, and will be consumed. Mirco has managed to give shape to a dream through a hyper-realistic sculpture that is pure art,” added Bottura.
Della Vecchia used 60% dark chocolate of Mexican origin to make the statue. However, due to the heavy rains that have hit northern Italy in recent weeks, the master chocolatier revealed that “for this edition of Sciocolà, creating the work of art was particularly challenging due to the high humidity.”
“But today, the proof of the similarity [with Bottura] compensated all our efforts with the processing of one of the noblest ingredients in gastronomy, chocolate”, concluded the artist.
With three Michelin stars, Bottura, 62, from Modena, is ranked among the best chefs in the world.
The 2024 edition of “Sciocolà” began last Thursday (31) and continues until Sunday (3) with a varied program. (HANDLE)
