LANGLEY Castle was the stunning location for a meeting of two culinary minds.

The hotel played host to a two-night foodie event which saw Langley Castle’s executive chef Dan Grigg join forces with ‘boho chef’ Stefano Corvucci.

The duo combined their culinary prowess to create a bespoke five-course menu as part of Stefano’s first culinary trip to the UK.

And Stefano said there were more similarities between Tynedale and his native Bologna than you might think.

“Both places have such wonderful fresh produce,” he said. “Bologna has lots of beautiful countryside as well which is great for natural products.

“Everyone thinks that Italians just cook with loads of tomatoes and garlic, but it’s different in Bologna. We use a lot of meat like the people in Northumberland.”

Stefano admits he grew up on tomato sauce and said there was nothing better than a fresh spaghetti Pomodoro.

“The aim of the event wasn’t simply for me to come and cook for Dan,” he added. “I wanted to give him my traditional ingredients so he could put his own spin on it.

“I gave Dan a few of my ideas and he translated them into what his clients would want.”

Guests were treated to the one-off menu in the contemporary dining venue, The Glass Pavilion. They were served food of Italian influence combined with Langley Castle’s own take on fine dining.

There was porcini mushroom ravioli, a halibut fish dish and a Herdwick mutton meat dish. The pre-dessert was iced limoncello with lemon verbena espuma and basil caviar, followed by petits fours of candy floss and cornetto to satisfy those with a sweet tooth.

The event was a learning curve for both chefs, who could not be more diverse in their cooking styles.

Stefano expained: “Dan is a very professional chef. I’m a lot more traditional and simple, whereas he uses technology and modern techniques; he’s a scientist.”

Dan said: “Working with Stefano has been a lot of fun. I just wish we could have spent longer together.

“It’s been very refreshing to see how someone else works. It’s a big deal for a chef to invite another into his kitchen.

“It’s all about having fun and the main thing is that the customers enjoy it.”

A love of food runs through the veins of Stefano, who owns the Culinary Institute of Bologna. Founded in 2012, CIBO has become known as Bologna’s best-equipped cookery school.

It was Stefano’s childhood in Forli, 50km south of Bologna, that ignited his passion for food.

His father inspired him with tales of foraging for mushrooms and herbs and hunting for game.

Stefano’s first inspiration came from an 1881 cookery book written by Pellegrino Artusi, written after the Unification of Italy.

As he grew older Stefano became increasingly intrigued by Italian food and spent most of his childhood in the kitchen.

He went on to study law at the University of Bologna, before swapping his law books for kitchen utensils.

He boldly decided to abandon the legal profession and open his own restaurant which became a firm favourite with top officials and business people of Bologna.

However, despite the restaurant’s success, Stefano felt unfulfilled.

Having to shift his focus to business issues and administration meant Stefano had neglected the thing he loved most – cooking.

And so Stefano sold the restaurant after six years and bought a new business where he could be more hands-on in the cooking process.

In keeping with his fascination of Bologna’s rich culinary history, he bought the oldest restaurant in the city.

Situated in the University quarter, the venue has been at the heart of the city since its foundation in 1868 and Stefano transformed it from a run-down restaurant to a traditional Bolognese trattoria.

He now has a second eatery in the city.

Then he set up CIBO, attracting passionate foodies the world over.

He said: “I love teaching people and sharing my passion. It’s wonderful to see people interested in what you’re saying and eager to learn.”

Stefano’s style of tuition has become known as eclectic. He admits that he makes things up as he goes along, working to the tune of intuition and creativity rather than conforming to the strict confines of a recipe.

Stefano’s philosophy is simple: “I was taught by my grandmothers and they would cook about 10 or 15 dishes. They would go to the market that day and pick up whatever was there and cook from that.

“I have the same mentality; you cook what’s fresh and in season. You don’t have to surprise people, just give them good food. Food must be relaxing and fun rather than stressful.”

The self-proclaimed “culinary surfer” hopes to do more work in the UK and US, training sous chefs and appearing at food festivals and events.

Stefano’s two teenage children have inherited his love of good food and his father still goes hunting and foraging, creating the cooking stories that inspired Stefano so much as a child.