What happens when a Michelin-trained chef brings his Southern Italian soul and seasoned expertise to Indian patrons? At Siciliana this August, the answer comes plated in the form of the first-ever international guest chef collaboration with Chef Gian Marco Carli. He has brought Southern Italian flavors to Siciliana through a specially curated pop-up menu through August 2026. We tasted the limited-time menu and sat down with the chef to hear the stories, inspirations and Southern Italian traditions that shaped each dish.
For Chef Gian Marco Carli, “Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy”
For Carli, Southern Italian cooking is less about elaborate techniques and more about an almost obsessive respect for ingredients. Having grown up in southern Italy, food always held the center stage. It was woven into everyday life.
“When you grow up in Italy, since you are a child, you are in the middle of the food,” he tells us. “Everything is mozzarella, tomato, pizza, deep-fried pizza, any kind of pasta, Parmigiano.”
Though it sounds simple, Carli is quick to make a distinction. He says, “Italian cuisine is very simple in flavor. Simple doesn’t mean easy. To be simple is something complicated but you have to respect 100% the ingredients you have in front of you.”
Carli explains this philosophy through a beautifully vivid description of growing tomatoes in Italy. In southern Italy, he says, farmers can check their crops multiple times a day, touching the tomatoes, assessing their maturity and deciding exactly when they are ready to be harvested. It is an approach that places the ingredient before the chef, and perhaps explains why tomato is the one ingredient he says he simply cannot work without.
Even his ingredient choices are refreshingly uncomplicated. Tomato is the one ingredient he cannot work without. Butter, he says, is overrated. Lemon is underrated.
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The Sunday Ragù That Became A Childhood Memory
If Southern Italy has given Chef Gian Marco Carli his culinary vocabulary, Sundays gave him some of his core food memories. He recalls a tradition familiar to generations of Italian families: the entire family gathering at the grandmother’s house, sometimes numbering 25 or 30 people, while a giant pot of ragù simmers for hours.
“We mix several cuts of meat, so beef, pork, sometimes also lamb, onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes. And it is boiling from 6 AM until lunchtime.”
It isn’t even the finished pasta that Chef Gian Marco Carli says is the most evocative memory. He recalls vivid memories of children arriving at their grandmother’s house, smelling the ragù, and inevitably getting hungry. The grandmother takes a piece of bread, dips it into the pot and hands it to them.
He asserts that this is in the core memories of all children who’ve grown up in Southern Italy. It is precisely this relationship between food and memory that makes his Siciliana pop-up menu feel less like a showcase and more like a personal glimpse into his culinary world.
Fine Dining, But Rooted In Tradition
Carli’s career has taken him through some of Italy’s most celebrated kitchens, including two-Michelin-starred Don Alfonso and three-Michelin-starred Quattro Passi, as well as L’Anima in London. Today, he leads Ristorante Il Principe in Pompeii, recognized by the Michelin Guide, Gambero Rosso and L’Espresso.
Yet his approach to the Siciliana collaboration isn’t particularly interested in the theatrics of fine dining.
“After 25, 30 years of pure fine dining, people in Italy are getting bored of a small portion, technological approach, and too much speech at the plate,” he says. “So we have a return to the tradition.”
For him, this means not abandoning technique but choosing ingredients, having a flavor in your mind, and using techniques to mix flavor in a different way. This approach to food is what allows him to retain the precision of professional training while staying rooted in his traditions.
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A Menu That Honors Southern Italian Cuisine
The balance between refined fine dining and rooted traditions that Chef Gian Marco Carli speaks of is visible across the Siciliana menu.
The Fritto Misto All’Italiana, a generous assortment of saffron arancini, mozzarella in carrozza, potato croquettes, zeppolina, fried polenta with mushrooms and pasta frittatina, is perhaps the clearest expression of his philosophy.
He describes it proudly as a representation of Italian street food, and it is one of the dishes he says he is particularly proud to have brought to Mumbai. We tried it and we could definitely imagine them as the perfect starters to get people gearing up for what’s next. Those who like the flavor of tuna can opt for a Tuna Tartare with Tomato Gazpacho.
At the other end of the spectrum is Cannelloni Parmigiana, which he singles out as the dish that best represents him at this stage of his career. “Parmigiano is something unique from where I come from,” he explains. “And I think it is also very understandable for Indian palates.”
Mediterranean Stuffed Peppers, Tortelli Alla Pollo with chicken Genovese ragù, pecorino foam and chicken jus, and Australian Lamb Chop Cutlets served with rustic potatoes and saffron mayonnaise also make for interesting dishes that showcase the acclaimed chef’s Southern Italian heritage and his craftsmanship.
The menu moves between nostalgic familiarity and refinement: Focaccia Barese with cherry tomatoes and herbs, Gorgonzola & Pear Pizza with stracciatella, both of which were absolutely well made. Focaccia Barese was crisp on the outside and pillowy-soft inside, while the Gorgonzola & Pear Pizza caught slightly off-guard – but definitely worth trying.
Bringing Southern Italy To The Indian Plate
As we ate our way through the Southern Italian ‘feast’ of flavors and heritage, we asked the Chef some challenges he faced when creating an Italian menu for Indian palates. Chef Gian Marco Carli’s answer was not to compromise on authenticity, but to find the right balance between imported Italian staples and India’s own produce.
“My job is to mix imported products with local production, and to have a final result of something that is made real and tasty,” he says.
While answering this, he passes a quick compliment about Indian produce, stating how he “can find very good vegetables.”
He is also quite impressed by Indian peppers and tomatoes as he describes them with great affection. He also rejects the idea that adapting Italian food for international diners means simplifying it or adapting to local tastes. “It is not just carbonara with cream. It is not just pizza or even Alfredo,” he says. “We want to give original flavors to Indians, nothing that is pre-made or too cheesy.”
He says that Indians are becoming increasingly well-traveled and accepting of diverse cuisines. This makes him confident of winning hearts through his pop-up menu at Siciliana.
Are Italian And Indian Cuisines Similar?
Despite the obvious differences between the two cuisines, Chef Gian Marco Carli sees a few connections between Indian and Italian food.
“What really impressed me in India was the unique technique that you have,” he says. “You can add 25 different spices in front of you and still have a consistent, coherent flavor at the same time. That impressed me.”
He believes Italian cuisine shares a similar philosophy, albeit through different ingredients and techniques. “This makes the two kitchens very similar with different characteristics.”
Beyond exploring Indian kitchens, he has ventured into the streets – where India is at its most chaotic yet most vibrant. During his time in Mumbai, he has sampled several Indian street foods, including what he believes might have been pani puri and samosa. The names may have been difficult to remember, but the flavors clearly made an indelible mark on him.
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The Dish That Feels Most Like Carli
Among the dishes on the menu, Cannelloni Parmigiana is the one Chef Gian Marco Carli identifies most strongly with. Along with it, he believes that the Fritto Misto All’Italiana is a dish that reveals that some foods don’t need a fine-dining setting.
For dessert, the Dark Chocolate Torta Caprese carries its own Southern Italian history. The flourless chocolate-and-almond cake is associated with Capri and is believed to have originated from an accidental omission of flour while preparing a chocolate cake. Its dense, fudgy center and crisp exterior have since made it an Italian classic. The one we tried was fudgy in the center and had a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream, inspired by the Chef’s hometown.
Along with it, you can try the Bomboloni Classico, warm sugar-and-cinnamon doughnuts filled with Java vanilla custard.
“I Don’t Like Compromise”, Chef Gian Marco Cali On Working With Siciliana
The collaboration itself came together because both chef and restaurant were willing to give each other creative freedom.
“I’m always very honest. I don’t like compromise,” Carli says. “If you call me, you have to know that I will put what I think is my traditional food.”
“When I met the property last year, they were very honest with me. They were ready to put all their faith onto him and his food and takes this opportunity with a hint of humbleness, thanking the entire team for helping make the collaboration possible.
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A Little Bit Of Southern Italy, Served In India
Chef Gian Marco Carli’s limited-time pop-up menu at Siciliana will run from August 1st to August 31st, 2026 only. Instead of ‘reinventing’ the menu for Indian palates, he effortlessly plates Southern Italian cuisine through distinct dishes.
In an era where culinary theatrics overshadow the taste of what’s being served, Chef Gian Marco Carli’s Southern Italian serve feels like stepping into a time capsule where flavors and ingredients reign supreme.
Pop Up Date: 1st to 31st August 2026
Where: Siciliana, Mumbai & Bangalore – All Outlets
Time: 12 noon onwards
Reservation no.: Mumbai – 089768 36562 | Bangalore – 7400214793
