Flavours of Italy

Located in the long-haul international departures lounge in Terminal 1 of Malpensa airport, the MyChef Food Court reproduces an Italian-style street market and was created as a partnership between MyChef and three historic Italian food brands: Barilla, Ferrarini and Mutti.
Inspired by large European food markets such as Borough Market in London and Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid, the project aims to emphasise the unique colours and aromas of food. With this in mind, the designers from the MyChef team sought to recreate a street environment using corner displays, industrial style materials, street lamps, a bar with an upstairs seating area, and greenery. Integrating effectively with the characteristics of the site, the project is divided into two main sections: on one hand the corner kiosks and display cases for the traditional Italian products; on the other the restaurant with table service and a large open kitchen. The restaurant furnishings combine design with convenience and functionality, as evidenced by the presence of USB and electric power sockets at each table.
Guests are greeted by a large sign saying ‘Welcome to Italian Kitchen‘ next to the large open kitchen which divides up the approximately 1,500 square metre space: on the right a covered market with thematic kiosks and on the left the ‘slow food‘ restaurant.
Passengers find themselves immersed in the sounds and aromas of a market square, giving them a last, intense experience of Italian life before their departures.
Diners with little time before their flights can select a traditional Italian dish at the six thematic kiosks, which offer a choice of pasta, cold cuts and pizza produced respectively by Barilla, Ferrarini and Mutti along with dairy products, fish and fruit. Passengers who have longer to wait can opt for the slow food restaurant, where they are served directly by the chefs through a serving hatch. But in either case the food is prepared by the same chefs with the same high quality ingredients for a perfect Italian meal.
To create the ideal setting for this all-Italian food experience, this innovative restaurant also chose the finest Italian materials for the interior design and finishings. In particular, the Design Industry and Trail ceramic tile collections from Ceramiche Refin were selected as the surface coverings to help give the large space a warm, welcoming feel.
The architects also devoted a lot of attention to the lighting design, creating a comfortable, uniform system of illumination that integrates perfectly with the sunlight filtering in through the large windows. The result is a comfortable, casually elegant space where departing passengers can relax before take-off, the unique flavour of Italian food still lingering on their palates.