RETROGUSTI PROFILE

Name: Daniele Sera

Year of Birth: 1967

Origin: Tuscany

Where he cooks today: Tosca Restaurant – Castello di Casole Belmond Hotel

Career Path

Chef Daniele Sera’s long career began way back in 1984 and includes numerous experiences, among which are the St. Regis Grand Hotel in Rome, the 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Caryères in Reims, the multi-starred Florentine Enoteca Pinchiorri, and several others, not only in Italy but also abroad. It was during one of his stints abroad—in Japan—that the chef mastered the key techniques for preparing seafood, which now takes center stage on his menus, featuring a carefully curated selection of fish from the Tuscan archipelago.

But without a doubt, his main inspiration comes from his roots—from his Tuscan mother, who for many years served as a private chef for the most distinguished noble families of Florence. One cannot forget the aroma of sautéed vegetables filling the house every morning—an indelible memory.

What most distinguishes his cuisine today, however, is the pursuit of flavor in every single dish. With a Tuscan mother and a Ligurian father—a true blessing—the chef grew up with the understanding that every recipe must represent a region in its truest flavor; every single ingredient must be recognizable and traceable to the final taste, creating a lasting memory for every guest.

A chef in constant evolution, he is convinced that every culinary experience must offer a cook a new and different perspective. In fact, every day Daniele seeks the perfect harmony with his surroundings, a complete fusion of the experience and culture acquired in the past and the present.

The stars of the menu are undoubtedly the fresh ingredients sourced from Belmond Castello di Casole, such as vegetables from the garden or the rich game, as well as local products, such as the cheeses from shepherd Giovanni Porcu of the Paugnano farm or the cured meats from his Tuscan friend Simone Fracassi.

HIS WORLD

Ingredient that represents him: There isn’t one in particular

Ingredient he avoids: Anything that isn’t in season

The dish that makes him feel like a child again: Rabbit alla cacciatora

A mentor: His mother, the cook

THE SETTING

Restaurant: Tosca-Castello di Casole Belmond Hotel Tuscany

Località Querceto, 53031 Casole d’Elsa, Siena, Italy

Seating capacity: 15–25

Kitchen Staff

Executive Chef: Daniele Sera

Sous Chef: Michele Raggi

Sommelier: Daniele Pamiotta

Front of House: Angelo D’Andrea

Philosophy: Tosca is a permanent observatory of the ecosystem around us. The land sets the rhythm; we follow its balance.

THE 5 RETROGUSTI QUESTIONS

1) What is the aftertaste of your cuisine?

“It’s an aftertaste of memory, biodiversity, and authenticity”

2) What isn’t visible on the plate but carries immense weight?

“Research: every ingredient has a story before it reaches the plate”

3) A mistake that helped you grow?

“Aesthetics are important, but even more so is the enhancement of flavor. For us, a dish must be immediately understandable to the guest with just a few ingredients”

4) A culinary tradition that tells the story of your region better than a thousand words?

“A dish that leaves an indelible memory: rabbit alla cacciatora”

5) How do you see your cuisine in the future?

“A cuisine that evolves without losing its identity”

THE SIGNATURE DISH

Rabbit alla cacciatora with black garlic

Daniele Sera’s rabbit alla cacciatora isn’t just a dish—it’s a memory that comes flooding back every time you open the refrigerator.

As a boy, he used to eat it this way—cold—after a night out or upon returning from work: his mother would prepare it hot for lunch, and whatever was left over became a constant presence, a small nighttime comfort. Today, the chef serves it not hot but at room temperature, precisely for this reason. Because that temperature is memory itself: the taste of home, of an everyday gesture, of an intimacy that doesn’t need to be warmed up.

For the rabbit

1/2 boneless rabbit

2 Tuscan sausages

50 g bread

50 g cream

Rosemary, to taste

Garlic, to taste

For the head

500 g rabbit meat

100 g lard

2 cloves

1 star anise

2 oranges (zest only)

2 lemons (zest only)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

For garnish

200 g tomato puree

40 g Taggiasca olives

1 sprig of rosemary

3 sage leaves

Gel cream to taste

100 g pine nuts

100 g heavy cream

1 bulb of fermented black garlic

1 potato

For the chicken livers

200 g chicken livers

100 g onion

Capers, to taste

2 anchovy fillets

2 bay leaves

2 sage leaves

100 g vinsanto

50 g butter

Instructions

Thoroughly clean and debone the rabbit.

Blend the sausage and cream until you have a smooth, even consistency.

Spread the mixture over the rabbit and season with minced garlic and rosemary; add salt and pepper.

Roll up the rabbit in plastic wrap until it forms a cylinder.

Finally, vacuum-seal it and cook in a steam oven at 63 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

For the head: Clean the rabbit and cut it into cubes; add the lard, also cut into cubes, and season with salt, pepper, anise, cloves, and citrus zest.

Finally, place everything into steel molds and steam at 67 degrees for about 3½ hours.

Leave under pressure for 24 hours, unmold, and serve.

For the chicken livers: sauté the onion and add the chicken livers; deglaze with Vin Santo, add the herbs, and cook for about 20 minutes. Then blend everything and whip in butter until the desired consistency is reached.

Place in silicone molds and blast-chill. Thaw as needed and serve. For the garnish: soak the pine nuts in the cream. Then blend the pine nuts and pass through a fine sieve. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag.

Blend fermented black garlic and potato, adjust the consistency, and transfer to a feeding bottle.

Cook the tomato puree with garlic, olives, and herbs. Once the flavors have melded, strain the mixture until it reaches a thick, non-liquid consistency. Finally, transfer it to a pastry bag.