MAYBE IT’S IN HER BLOOD? Lydia Forte, daughter of Sir Rocco Forte and niece of Olga Polizzi, makes her mark in the family business as bar and restaurant development manager for Rocco Forte Hotels, responsible for the concepts, management and performance of the group’s restaurants.
According to Forte, there are some elements which make all the difference that the brand will never compromise on in the hotels. Forte’s dream is to have at least an herb garden in every hotel. Verdura, in Sicily, boasts an organic farm, and at hotels without space for gardens, like Balmoral in Edinburgh, they produce their own smoked salmon and honey. Personal touches like these and an eye for quality create a stand-out culinary experience across the brand.
Prior to joining Rocco Forte Hotels in February 2014, Forte managed the opening of The Markham Inn in Chelsea and led projects to improve HIX Mayfair in London and Bocconi in Brussels. She worked her way up in the industry, from front-of-house positions to accounting and reservations, and also completed a professional cookery class at Leith’s, a four-month internship at Hotel Astoria in St. Petersburg and maître d’ training at The Wolseley.
WHICH DESTINATIONS INSPIRED YOU, AND HOW HAS THAT INSPIRATION TRANSLATED INTO YOUR CULINARY CONCEPTS?
I live in London, which has become one of — if not the — centers for culinary excellence in the world. There has been a food revolution here in the last 10 to 15 years, with hundreds of new concepts constantly opening. What I find unique in London is the number of high-quality restaurants that last. There are several places I would be happy to visit every week for the rest of my life, which I don’t find as much in other cities. Restaurants with extremely high-quality food, service and ambience, such as The River Café, stand the test of time, are authentic and offer an all-around world-class and exceptional experience. Those are the restaurants that truly inspire me and that we aim to emulate.
WHOM DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOUR CULINARY HERO?
Fulvio Pierangelini, our creative director of food at Rocco Forte Hotels. He is an exceptional chef — few people can create food like his. When you go to his apartment, he might have a few vegetables and somehow, with what seems like nothing, he will conjure up a meal of dreams within a few seconds. The few fantastic female chefs who have broken into the world of cuisine also inspire me; there are not enough of them. Being a chef is an incredibly tough job with terrible hours, constant pressure, hot kitchens … and few make it to the top — but being a female chef is even harder. We want more female chefs in the world!
WHAT ONE PERSON MOST INFLUENCED YOUR COOKING STYLE, AND HOW?
Fulvio Pierangelini. I have traveled and worked with him in our hotels for more than four years, and he has taught me so much about food. Doing the classics in the best way possible is the hardest thing in the culinary world. Some say he’s like a food whisperer. He has taught me so much about practical things.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FOOD CITY?
It is hard to pick one! London, Barcelona. I’m excited to visit Tokyo for the first time next year. I love all Italian cities for their regional cuisines; Italian food is the best in the world. I love our restaurant, Le Jardin de Russie at Hotel de Russie in Rome. We offer delicious Roman cuisine in our stunning Roman garden, right in the center of the city, and you can’t get a better sense of the city than that. It inspired me to keep to the Roman theme in our new hotel in Rome, Hotel de la Ville, opening next year. All the cities I visit inspire me in some way. Los Angeles inspired me because it was at the forefront of vegan and healthy food development.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE NEXT BIG TREND ON THE FOOD SCENE WILL BE?
Going back to basics — extremely high-quality, simple food; excellent service; good atmosphere. It’s always fun to experience new cuisines and restaurants that offer something different, but people will always come back to quality.
I also love that Asian and Middle Eastern styles of sharing food have become mainstream, as I love being able to try a little bit of lots of things.
Healthy, vegetarian and vegan offerings are a craze and will continue because we understand the importance of feeling good in today’s world. Luxury is treating your body and our world well. Following this trend, my sister, Irene, and I developed Rocco Forte Nourish, partnering with local nutritionists to develop healthy menus.
Read This Next
Wine Tasting in the Finger Lakes
August 2017
Aug 1, 2017All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Mar 23, 2023The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko in Japan Introduces Spring Experiences
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko in Japan offers travelers exciting experiences this spring. Opened in July 2020, the property overlooks Lake Chūzenji and Mount Nantai in Japan’s Northern Kanto region. With cherry blossoms (Sakura) set to bloom in April, the area is the perfect destination for a spring getaway.
Sponsored Content
Exclusive Savings: Cruise Along the Danube River with Global Traveler
Exclusive Sailing with Global Traveler
Daily
Mar 23, 2023New Limited-Time Bonus Offers from Scenic, Emerald Cruises
Scenic Luxury Cruises and Emerald Cruises currently offer travelers savings of up to $500 per cabin and a 50 percent reduction on deposits on select 2023/2024 river and ocean itineraries. The offers are available through March 31 and can be combined with others, such as early-booking savings of up to $1,500 per couple and a Pay in Full bonus that includes free or reduced airfare options.
Daily
Mar 23, 2023The Cape Ann Museum Announces Major Edward Hopper Exhibit
This July, The Cape Ann Museum in Gloucester, Massachusetts, hosts Edward Hopper & Cape Ann: Illuminating an American Landscape, the first major exhibition to explore Hopper’s connection to Cape Ann during his formative years as an artist. Visitors will be treated to 65 works that include paintings, prints and drawings assembled from collections housed at Whitney Museum of American Art; Brooklyn Museum; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; National Gallery of Art, Washington DC; private lenders; and other institutions.
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
March 2023
Mar 22, 2023Global Traveler Celebrates the 2022 Winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey Awards
Travel is back and better than ever! Last year brought a big boom to our beloved industry, and we were thrilled to celebrate the best of the best in December 2022 as we honored the winners of our 19th annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, located downtown at LA Live!
Austrian Airlines to Bring Back Flying Chefs
Daily
Mar 22, 2023Pendry Washington DC – The Wharf Review
eFlyer Reviews
Mar 22, 2023eFlyer Deals
Mar 22, 2023Brown Hotels Celebrates Beachside Greek Resorts Reopening with New Offer
In honor of the seasonal reopening of its beachside Greek resorts, Brown Hotels offers a generous 25 percent discount on all bookings made by the end of April. This discount can apply to Brown Hotels’ beachside properties of Isla Brown Corinthia, Brown Beach Chalkida, Brown Beach Eretria and DAVE by the Beach Loutraki.
eFlyer Deals
Mar 22, 2023Air Tahiti Nui Announces Limited-Time Sale on Flights from LAX to AKL
Through April 24, passengers booking a flight with Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles (LAX) to Auckland (AKL) enjoy round-trip fares from $974 per person in Moana economy class or $2,394 in Moana premium class.
ShareThis