8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Raised HKD3.56 Million For Mother's Choice

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - November 11, 2019 - A significant event on Hong Kong's culinary calendar - the 20^th edition of the Italian Alba White Truffle World Auction, was successfully held last night at the acclaimed 3-star-Michelin Italian restaurant 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana. The auction of the finest Alba white truffle species together with the charity dinner raised HKD3.56 million for the beneficiary Mother's Choice.

The 10-hand charity dinner was curated by Umberto Bombana (centre), Executive Chef of 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong, Antimo Maria Merone (2^nd from the left), Executive Chef of 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau, Riccardo La Perna (3^rd from the right), Executive Chef of 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Shanghai, Albert Au (2^nd from the right) from China Club, and Keith Yam (1^st from the right) from 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong.

High-res images: http://bit.ly/36ScykA

The highlight of the evening was the winning bid of the biggest single white truffle weighting 1kg and 5 grams, sold at HKD1.035 million to a guest from Hong Kong who triumphed over 19 rounds of intense bidding, marking the highest bid in the past 12 years. This year's splendid white truffle harvest has been rich and bountiful, courtesy of a warmer climate, and more hydrated soils.

The now 89-year-old International Alba White Truffle Fair in Alba, Piedmont is an annual international gastronomic celebration of the region's white truffle harvest. During the festival, the Alba White Truffle World Auction is held on the second Sunday of November at Castello di Grinzane Cavour, a historic 13th century castle located amidst a UNESCO heritage site. This year as usual, 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana - the only three Michelin-starred ristorante Italiano outside of Italy, also livestreamed the auction during the ristorante's charity dinner gala, and donated 100% of the proceeds to Mother's Choice for the people in need. The white truffle auction this year was also conducted live in Alba, Moscow, Singapore and Hong Kong.

To show appreciation to guests supporting the charity event, Executive Chef Umberto Bombana joined forces with 4 award-winning chefs to curate a 10-hand 5-course dinner pairing menu this year for the gala. Other celebrated chefs include Keith Yam (8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Hong Kong), Antimo Maria Merone (8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Macau), Riccardo La Perna (8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Shanghai), and Albert Au (China Club).

Originated from Alba, Piedmont, Tuber Magnatum Pico is the most fragrant fungus among all varieties. Due to its unique, piquant and stimulating scents, Alba white truffle is often considered as a supreme and delectable ingredient internationally, and is famously crowned as "white diamond of the table". The rare white truffle cannot be cultivated, and can only be foraged in the wild from October to December. The precious ingredient's scarce and ephemeral qualities make it a rare luxury commodity, and a precious treasure for chefs to appeal epicureans all around the world.

The charity dinner menu is as follows:

ALBA WHITE TRUFFLE AUCTION DINNER

SUNDAY, 10^TH NOVEMBER 2019

WELCOME DRINK

Cocchi, Totocorde Alta Langa Brut

SLICE OF PIZZA

Porcini Salad

Fontanafredda, Contessa Rosa Alta Langa Brut

FISH TRIPE AND CRAB

Sautéed with Egg

2016 Produttori del Barbaresco

SEA CUCUMBER AND LOBSTER

In Mushroom Jus

2014 Bruno Rocca, Barbaresco Rabaja

FAGOTTELLI OF CASTELMAGNO

Cooked in Winter Garden Broth, Mushroom Coulis

2015 Paolo Scavino, Barolo Cannubi

SPECIAL RANDOM

2013 Vietti, Barolo Lazzarito Castiglone Falletto

POULARDE FROM BRESSE

Spinach and Brioche Filling, Winter Mushroom Ragout, Confit Egg Yolk

2013 Oddero, Barolo Brunate La Morra

HAZELNUT PARFAIT

Roasted Apple

2019 Saracco, Moscato d'Asti

About Mother’s Choice

Mother's Choice is a local non-profit organization in Hong Kong with a mission to join hands with the community to transform lives and give hope. Since 1987, it has pursued a vision of no girl or baby left alone by providing loving and non-judgmental support to young girls facing crisis pregnancy, caring for children in need of a permanent home, and fighting for each to have a loving, stable, and permanent family to call his/her own. Today, Mother's Choice continues to impact the lives of thousands in Hong Kong through five services -- all united by the goal of building stronger families in our community.

About 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA is the first and only three Michelin-starred Italian restaurant outside of Italy, and for eight consecutive years it has retained this prestigious accolade. Last year, it topped Gamero Rosso's list of the "Top Intalian Restaurants in Hong Kong" and made the list among the top 50 Restaurants in the world. Its Chef BOMBANA Umberto is known as the "King of White Truffle" and is regularly ranked among "Asia's Best Chef". Currently, Bombana's name is attached to fine dining restaurants in Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing and Shanghai. He also opened Hong Kong's first refined Italian trattoria franchise, CIAK, as well as a boutique private kitchen Octavium in Central. He was honored with the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Diner's Club® Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Last September, Chef Bombana was also bestowed the Order of Merit from the Italian Republic (OMRI, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana). It is the country's highest ranking award.

About Umberto Bombana

Hailed as "The King of White Truffles", Chef BOMBANA Umberto's food is rooted in respect for honest cooking, great produce and attention to customers. At the same time, he is committed to push traditional Italian cuisine forward with innovative and boundless creativity. His success is reflected in his three Michelin-starred Italian fine dining restaurant 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA, which is now recognized as a must-go dining institution for Epicurean connoisseurs the world over.

A native of Bergamo in Northern Italy, Chef BOMBANA trained at Centro di Formazione Alberghiera and apprenticed under acclaimed Chef Ezio Santin at Antica Osteria del Ponte, a Michelin-starred restaurant outside Milan. Chef BOMBANA's talent and skills soon took him around the world. In 1983, he joined the famous Rex II Ristorante in Los Angeles, where he was lauded for his simple yet refined regional cooking.

Chef BOMBANA arrived in Hong Kong in 1993 to manage Toscana at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which became an iconic fine dining destination. He was awarded "Best Italian Chef in Asia" by the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (ICIF) in 2002. He was declared a "Worldwide Ambassador of the White Truffle" in 2006 by the Piedmontese Regional Enoteca Cavour in Italy.

He opened 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA in 2010. After only 11 months the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars. The following year, it was elevated to 3 Michelin stars, the first and only Italian restaurant outside Italy to receive such high recognition. Since then, it has managed to maintain the honour.

Expanding into China, Chef BOMBANA opened 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA Shanghai in 2012 and Opera BOMBANA in Beijing in 2013. In December 2013, he opened Hong Kong's first refined Italian trattoria, CIAK -- In The Kitchen in the Landmark Atrium, Central. In June 2015, a branch of Chef BOMBANA's flagship 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA Galaxy Macau opened serving seasonal ingredients and refined Italian fare. In June 2016, CIAK -- All Day Italian, a second branch of his Michelin star trattoria reached Taikoo Shing. An even more personal boutique restaurant and kitchen laboratory Octavium ­was launched in Hong Kong in 2018. It already owns one Michelin star.

Over his career, BOMBANA has been bestowed with many awards. He is the recipient of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Diner's Club® Lifetime Achievement Award 2017. In 2017, he also received the Order of Merit from the Italian Republic (OMRI, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana), the country's highest-ranking award. 

In 2018, BOMBANA was given the Award Italia a Tavola. 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA received three forks while Octavium gained two forks from the Gambero Rosso guide.