Adam Richman needs no introduction. As we sit down to chat in The Marlborough, passers-by take a second glance in disbelief, and our conversation is soon interrupted by a pizza "on the house". Adam shot to fame after his impressive Man v. Food eating challenges, but his fanbase is ever-growing thanks to his sheer passion for food and the people behind it. His enthusiasm has drawn him to the likes of Cheddar, Sandwich, and Eton, and now, he's just returned from Italy, starting up North in Venice and working his way to the heel of the boot. In a similar vein to Adam Eats Britain, Adam Eats Italy will uncover the origin of the dishes we all know and love, from bolognese in Bologna to Focaccia Barese in Bari. It's coming to Food Network at the start of February, and we caught up with Adam while the flavours were still fresh in his mind.
Having grown up in Brooklyn, an area rich with Italian heritage, Adam had a basis of knowing about ravioli, pizza, and, gnocchi. He considers working in Italian restaurants and eating at Italian restaurants during his life "a great keyhole into Italy." However, filming Adam Eats Italy was a reality hit of, "that's what you think you know, here is what really is the deal."
"There are portable foods and street foods, but pizza is generally a fork and knife affair..."
I begin by asking if New York does anything better than Italy. Controversial, perhaps, but Adam has an answer ready, and it's pizza by the slice. "The portability and the just exquisite, toothsome awesomeness of a well-executed slice, not on a white tablecloth establishment. A paper plate, a piece of wax paper, a soda pop in a wax cup with some ice. That is perfection to me. And it's just something that simply doesn't exist in Italian culture."
"It's just time, temperature, technique and quality ingredients..."
Something that Adam finds fascinating about the Italian way of cooking is the juxtaposition of simplicity and skill. The methods aren't finicky, and the ingredient lists short, in fact one dish he had in Venice was a peasant dish made with just seven ingredients, that includes the ingredients to make the actual pasta. Yet still, "it was one of the best pasta dishes, best dishes I've had anywhere."
Following in the footsteps of his late friend and mentor Anthony Bourdain, "I went to the restaurant in Rome that he had filmed at, and the dish that he had was tortellini with butter and sage. No crazy complex sauce. The filling was interesting, and the ravioli. But it's just time, temperature, technique and quality ingredients..."
"More spaghetti, less regretti. Let's go."
So, what will he be recreating? The answer is several things, but two restaurants in particular that he'll be taking inspiration from are Mimì alla Ferrovia in Naples, where he tried spaghetti vongole, and one of the first restaurants they filmed at, Trattoria alla Rivetta in Venice. "Both of them had techniques and flavours and procedures and approaches to dishes that I've never even conceived of." So I'm going to make Bigoli in salsa, which is a Venetian pasta dish. And Pansotti con salsa di noci, which is Genoa's version of ravioli with walnut sauce."
To recreate these dishes, Adam bought an extra suitcase and filled it with spices and condiments and olive oil and balsamic; "I thought I was going to lose weight when I got home, but it looks like it's going to be a little bit longer for that, you know? But I got the holidays to hide behind."
"What incredibly well crafted crispy crispy bits they are."
Before answering what his favourite Italian snack is, Adam assures us that he is not endorsed by this brand (but perhaps should be). It's the San Carlo crisps. "What incredibly well crafted crispy crispy bits they are. Another special mention are Fonzies, the Italian Cheetos.
At this point, the unmistakable scent of melting burrata and hot honey fills our nostrils as Crisp's Vecna is presented before us. "I want to give thoughtful answers in this interview. And then I've been handed hot pizza and homemade condiments. Be prepared for the single hardest interview I have ever done." After approximately one minute, the smell envelopes the room and temptation prevails. "Mom, you wanted me to go to law school... in the middle of a deposition ain't nobody bringing me fresh, hot pizza," Adam exclaims between mouthfuls.
"I feel like that guy who spends a semester abroad and then comments ja-ja-ja on your posts"
Returning to the topic of snacks, Adam also admits that coming from America, the land of chocolate and peanut butter, he feels obnoxious saying it, but he's fallen in love with the chocolate hazelnut combination that Florence perfected, Gianduia. "I feel like that guy who spends a semester abroad and then comments ja-ja-ja on your posts. Like relax, dude."
We end our chat with describing the pizza Adam had in the world's first ever pizzeria in Naples. I ask for it in three words, which Adam says with certainty, are "Simple. Complex. Fresh."
Adam Eats Italy is coming to Food Network and Discovery+ early February.
