La Stüa de Michil - Simone Cantafio

The story

La Stüa de Michil: Michelin-Starred Dining in Corvara in Badia, Italy

The Setting and the Chef

In the heart of the Dolomites, inside the historic Hotel La Perla in Corvara in Badia, La Stüa de Michil offers a dining experience that bridges mountain tradition and global technique. The restaurant earned its Michelin star under executive chef Simone Cantafio, who returned the accolade within two seasons of arriving. Cantafio’s path is unusual: after years working with Michel and Sébastien Bras in France, he spent a formative period on Japan’s Hokkaido island, leading the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Toya. That Eastern influence – a respect for nature, seasons, and balance – now shapes his cooking amidst the Alpine peaks.

Philosophy: The Earth is Alive

Cantafio’s guiding motto is La Terra è Viva – the earth is alive. It drives every decision, from sourcing to plating. He works directly with local growers, foragers, and small producers across South Tyrol. In winter, the kitchen turns to roots, cabbages, and tubers; in summer, a broader palette emerges. Nothing is forced. The chef insists on ingredients that travel short distances, and he visits each supplier personally during the restaurant’s closed months. Among them are Günther, who raises Brillenschaf sheep in Val di Funes, and Harald, who grows carrots and herbs on a small plot in Barbiano. Foraged wild herbs – oxalis, wild garlic, watercress – arrive from the surrounding woods and meadows from spring through autumn.

The Menu and the Incö Table

Cantafio builds dishes with no more than four or five elements, aiming for clarity and depth. The menu changes with the season and includes plates such as kohlrabi scented with colza oil, grilled sturgeon mi-cuit with mountain tzatziki, and turtres – a local filled pastry – stuffed with kimchi and ricotta from a nearby farm. A standout is the “Incö” table, a concept named after the Ladin word for “today.” In a separate room, a rustic communal table serves only what is available that day: humble ingredients like onion, snails, eel, or lamb take center stage. The idea is to shift focus toward sustainability and shared conviviality, away from excess.

Wine and Atmosphere

The wine cellar, Mahatma Wine, holds over 30,000 bottles from Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and France, with a dedicated room for Sassicaia. Guided tastings are offered. In the dining room, maître Giancarlo leads a team that prioritizes genuine hospitality – light, spontaneous, and attentive. The result is a restaurant where the precision of international cuisine meets the warmth of a mountain home, all grounded in a deep respect for the land that sustains it.