The Albanian chef Silvana Musej represents Piedmont in a kitchen competition, arriving second in Italy

Silvana Musej

 Mother of two children, she has been in Italy for many years now and approached the world of gastronomy and catering almost by chance. Now she can no longer do without it.

Silvana Musej is now from Cuneo by adoption, even if she absolutely does not deny her Albanian origins, of which she is proud. Chef for 6 years, mother of two children, she works at the Relais Cuba in Cuneo. In recent weeks he has participated, coming second and representing the province of Cuneo and the Piedmont region, in the national Italian competition dedicated to Balsamicando balsamic vinegar. For her great satisfaction and a recognition that has repaid her for so many sacrifices and efforts.

She approached the world of cooking almost by chance, working in a deli, first at the counter and then in the kitchen. A job that has taught her to know and discover products, to enhance and combine them. Giving her the courage to take the next step, not easy, when you have a family and when you move into a male world.

After 15 years in gastronomy, the leap into catering. "I am enrolled in the chefs federation of Italy. In the competition, organized by the national FIC, I represented the province of Granda and the Piedmont region. I sent the application online, presenting the recipe Venere Mediterranea (Mediterranean Venus). The selection required to create a dish that had the protagonist the balsamic vinegar of Modena Leonardi IGp and had to contain seasonal vegetables. The technique, the elaboration of the recipe and the aesthetics of the dish were evaluated. In the ranking, I arrived among the best 12. After the selection we have chosen participated in the actual competition, which took place in Modena at the Leonardi vinegar factory", Silvana tells local media.

A time trial, with a mystery box presented at the moment and made up of local ingredients, to be composed in 30 minutes according to one's creativity and knowledge. "I, through ingenuity and inexperience - continues Silvana - I arrived without any equipment. When I understood the level of very high competition and professionalism I had to deal with (chefs equipped well, selected knives, super garnished sets) I risked collapsing, but in the end, I reacted and I launched with all the commitment and concentration into the race.

With what is present in her mystery box, Silvana managed to prepare and present the recipe "Pig of Autumn": pork tenderloin accompanied by balsamic flambéed porcini mushrooms with pear drawstring and pumpkin cream scented with thyme, tropea sour.

"Incredible: I finished second. For me it was an incredible human and professional satisfaction, which really paid off for years of hard work! Cooking is my life, I still have many things to learn, and many projects in the pipeline, which will involve also my Albania".