Massimo Bottura's first restaurant outside Italy opens in Dubai

Massimo Bottura, the chef and restaurateur behind Osteria Francescana, has opened his first restaurant outside Italy at W Dubai - The Palm: Torno Subito.

The restaurant is meant to be a throwback to childhood memories of holidays spent in Rimini on the Italian Riviera in the 1960s. The phrase "Torno Subito" translates to "I'll be back soon". 

Open for lunch and dinner, the concept is headed by chef Bernardo Paladini, who has spent seven years in Modena at Osteria Francescana and Francheschetta 58.

The dishes are from the North to the South of Italy, and signature plates include the likes of tagliatelle al ragu, a recipe handed down from Bottura's grandmother, made with different cuts of beef, slow cooked and hand-chopped.

The design of the restaurant includes colourful Paola Lenti furniture, life-sized beachfront imagery, and a homage to Bottura's love of art. Richard Ginori dinnerware was custom-made for pasta bowls, while the restaurant also offers a retro, roaming gelato cart.

In an interview with sister title Caterer Middle East, Bottura said: "The result is unbelievable. I’m very critical on myself, on my team – nothing is good enough for me, never. But I have to say when I walked in, it’s unbelievable."