The personality of a chef often mirrors their cooking style, and Cesare Battisti's cuisine is straightforward, direct, genuine, and substantial. A Milanese for many generations, he has managed to create an oasis of peace and sustainability in one of Milan's most bustling areas. His Ratanà, located in a historic building from the late 19th century and home to the Riccardo Catella Foundation, is a green, timeless space that radiates positive energy beneath the futuristic skyscrapers of Porta Nuova. A longstanding advocate for local territory, Battisti has never been swayed by trends, holding firm to his - rightly held - convictions: personally selected local ingredients, small producers, seasonality, sustainability, and the preservation of traditions as a form of respect for the ancient and rural culture that roots us. Among his signature dishes are the legendary mondeghili, Milanese-style meatballs served as an appetizer, risotto with ossobuco, Piemontese Fassona beef carpaccio, vitello tonnato, and seasonal vegetable risottos. Each dish highlights the reverence for raw ingredients, the clarity of flavors, and the ability to evoke childhood memories. Since October 2016, Battisti has been a member of the Board of Directors and Secretary General of the "Ambasciatori del Gusto" (Ambassadors of Taste), a non-profit association presented to the MIPAAF (Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies) aimed at representing and promoting Italian food and wine identity worldwide.
