Perhaps you recognize her? Chiara Cappellano is a busy bee and a true creative. She inspires her followers on Instagram and TikTok to make delicious Italian recipes, such as orecchiette, panino tonno, and conchiglioni. Together with her two brothers, she works in the family business that their father Fabio founded. Il Tartufo is their unique Italian delicatessen, caterer, and osteria in Delft.
How did your family business 'Il Tartufo' come about?
When I was four years old in 2000, my parents opened Il Tartufo! At that time, my father was the director of an Italian wholesaler, importing the best delicacies from all over Italy. He enjoyed finding and selecting the best products, but he still lacked a place where he could sell all those beautiful items directly to the consumer!
What makes Il Tartufo such a success?
We always stay true to our roots, and the focus is truly on selecting the best quality products. Our guests really taste that we only choose the finest hams, cheeses, olive oils, and wines. All these products come from unique small family businesses that you won't easily find elsewhere in the Netherlands.
Which part of Italy should a food lover really visit?
This is a very difficult question to answer, because every part of Italy has its own cuisine. They all have something special, because Italians are truly connected to the region where they live. They use what grows in that region to cook. My personal favorite is Sicily. This island used to be very poor, so there were only many vegetables and cheaper products available. But due to the influence of many peoples who ruled Sicily, a very rich cuisine has emerged. For example, in West-Sicily you will find a lot of couscous, leftover from the Arabs who ruled there for years.
What are the most special Italian ingredients?
That has to be the white truffle! We only sell white truffle around the Christmas period, because it is a unique product that is very difficult to obtain and very precious. The taste is so delicate, complex, full and intense. With white truffle, you truly elevate a dish to another level. Try a steak tartare with white truffle… you won't believe what you're tasting!
Which Italian dish should not be missing in any cookbook?
I can be brief about that, because my personal favorite is and remains Parmigiana di Melanzane. Unbelievably delicious!
Which dish is Il Tartufo’s finest?
We became famous online for our panino tartufo! We've had it on the menu since November 2000. It's a freshly baked filoncino sandwich with extra virgin olive oil, truffle cream, fior di latte mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, and basil.
What are your plans for the future?
Haha, many! For now, the focus is truly 100% on the arrival of Il Limone. Il Limone is a new deli and restaurant that we will be opening in Breda around November 2023. It's a big project I've been working on for 1.5 years. I'm so looking forward to opening this new business!
Where can we follow you?
My own account on TikTok & Instagram is @chiaracappellano. Il Tartufo is @iltartufodelft and the new business in Breda can be followed via @illimonebreda.
Curious about Chiara's favorite dish? That's Spezzatino di Manzo! You can find the recipe here.
© Photography: Juul Elisabeth
