22 December 2025
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At One-MICHELIN-Starred FRASSI, diners are immediately struck by the impact of Chef Iacopo Frassi’s dishes — an intricate dance of acidity, bitterness, saltiness and creaminess. His goal is to create a strong umami explosion that guests have never tasted or imagined before.
The flavors are unmistakable. From the first bite, the dish announces itself with clarity and confidence. This is Frassi’s voice on the plate.
Hailing from Tuscany, Italy, Frassi’s love of cooking stems from his hometown, sparked by the aromas of winter game, herbs from his backyard and Sunday morning tables. His journey to Milan, through Tianjin, to Taiwan, has shaped the culinary foundation of FRASSI. “When I created FRASSI, that's the place where a new journey starts. It's not the place where I arrived, but a place where my life starts to go,” he shares.
At FRASSI, there is no single signature dish — rather, the focus is on ingredients he loves to highlight. Duck is one of them. In his latest creation, he elevates Tuscany’s tradition of pairing game with acidic flavors, embraces a zero-waste philosophy, and applies his own contemporary lens.
Local duck breasts, aged 10 to 14 days and brushed with coffee oil, are charcoal-grilled until the skin is crispy and smoky. The duck neck is stuffed with a filling made from Wagyu, duck leg meat and eggs. Traditionally, Tuscan recipes use lardo, but Frassi opts for Wagyu to reduce greasiness while imparting a different smoothness and aroma to the stuffing.
Accompaniments include fermented blackened apples, marinated radicchio and a sauce made from duck bones and wings with mandarin peel — the bright acidity, caramelized notes and silky textures perfectly balancing the richness of the duck.
Every element of the dish is meticulously arranged. For Frassi, the best moment as a chef is seeing a diner’s reaction after a bite — whether it’s a closed-eye savor, a subtle smile or a knowing glance exchanged with a companion. “That's what makes me feel like, ‘Oh wow, that's why I am here,’” he says.
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4 min.
