chef to add some spice to their operations during slower winter months.

The Little Venice Group of Restaurants, which includes Harbourfront, Cafe Lido, La Trattoria, and Little Venice recently invited gourmet chef Mr.

Corrado Corti to Bermuda to prepare Mediterranean dishes.

And he will complete his three-week stay on Saturday.

Chef Corti, 30, is on loan from the Imperiale Place Hotel in Santa Margherita, Italy.

He has consulted with staff and taken part in the preparation of several Mediterranean cuisine dishes with the finale to be a six course meal prepared tomorrow for about 60 people at Harbourfront Restaurant in Hamilton.

He has also taught a series of instructional courses focusing on Italian, or, as it has become known -- the Mediterranean style -- of cuisine.

"In winter tourism is slower, and we have brought Chef Corti here to create some excitement during January and February,'' according to Mr. Emilio Barbieri, general manager of the Little Venice Group.

Not only do the customers benefit from special dishes prepared by Chef Corti, but the restaurant is able to garner a new collection of recipes and methods of cooking, he explained.

"We estimate he will bring 50 to 60 new recipes to the restaurants.. .he brings a wealth of new ideas and the customer gets the benefit. This is the first time we have done this,'' noted Mr. Barbieri.

Chef Corti, who has been preparing cuisine at the Imperiale Place Hotel for three years, noted culinary background includes working on a cruise ship, as well as in Switzerland, France and Japan.

But most of all he enjoys the wide range of cooking experiences associated with his home country.

"Italy has many different areas, each with its own produce; olive oils and pastas are different from region to region,'' noted Chef Corti.

Chef Corti prefers to use local meats and produce for their freshness wherever possible in preparing his meals. He found Bermuda vegetables and especially local Rockfish adequate for his needs here.

"I find the Rockfish in Bermuda is an excellent fish to prepare, it is a very strong fish,'' he said.

In his experience in Italy, many of the pasta and rice dishes take more than 20 minutes to prepare, especially in the Mediterranean style where fresh foods are the order of the day and there is no pre-cooking. Therefore a lunch-time rush of Bermuda business people can be challenging, he explained.

GOURMET TOUCH -- Visiting chef Mr. Corrado Corti, on loan to The Little Venice Group of Restaurants.