Eat Your Way Through Liguria

Belmond and Apartamento are proud to introduce their first cookbook collaboration, Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera. This book is the first of a new series, Recipes & Wanderings, that captures and celebrates regional cuisines from around the world with artistic perspectives from renowned photographers and writers.

The book features photography by Laura Jane Coulson, captured during a week in Portofino and its environs, that encapsulates a journey through Liguria’s landscapes. Starting with an introduction by Ruth Rodgers, Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riviera features essays by Luca Cesari, Andy Baraghani and Gilda Bruno, alongside guest recipes by Max Rocha and Fanny Singer. These accompany 22 recipes – such as classic Pesto Genovese, Herb Fritters and a Portofino Spritz – drawn from the kitchens of Splendido and Splendido Mare.

The first in a new series that will visit culinary communities across the globe, we begin in the Italian Riviera, where life just flows, and all the beauty of the land is threaded through the region’s culinary offerings. Following our shared ethos of embracing a polyphony of voices, Belmond and Apartamento explore Liguria through hyperlocal insights alongside musings from those who’ve adored this rugged coastline from afar.

These dishes bid you to visit and revisit the gastronomic spirit of Liguria alongside profiles from the community – from the family-run La Portofinese eco-farm mere minutes up the hill, to Italy’s oldest confectionary factory, Antica Confetteria Pietro Romanengo in Genoa. The famous Genovese basil grown on the hills of Prà also features across every menu, from breakfast to lunch to dinner.

To experience Liguria in all its glory, explore the coast by boat. Taste the reddest, freshest Santa Margherita prawns infused with local citrus, white wine, and herbs. Set out from the bay of Portofino after sipping the sunset in a glass: the Portofino Spritz, with its subtle infusion of rose petals. Head north to Camogli and the seaside fishing towns that dot the coast towards Genoa; head south to see the postcard-perfect towns of Cinque Terre nestled amongst vine-covered hills.

When a place is as perfect as Portofino, it’s easy to assume that real life no longer exists in these cobbled streets. However, step into local hangout Trattoria Concordia any night of the week, and you’ll discover a close-knit community in full swing – and full voice, as evening service gives way to a singalong around the piano. The Ligurian’s’ love of history and seasonality has defined the region’s way of life for centuries, and goodness brims both inside and out. These are people who are passionate about the way they live, drawing on ancient influences via a Hollywood heyday and through into thoroughly modern times. We came to see what treasures prevail, and they are plentiful and perfect for sharing.