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Courmayeur Mont Blanc is located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc and is known for being traditional, elegant and full of charm. The luscious green scenery makes it somewhat picture-perfect and an idyllic spot for all to enjoy. Visitors can explore the centre of the village, which is a short drive away and hosts superb dining options, first-class shopping spots, bars and more. We had a quick catch up with Paolo Griffa (pictured above on the far right), the Head Chef at the Petite Royale in Grand Royal Hotel, at CourMayeur, who creates spectacular cuisine for gourmet events at the resort. The Michelin Star chef is community-focused and spent his time during the COVID-19 lockdown, baking and delivering cakes to the retirement homes in towns including La Thuile and Pre-Saint Didier. Find out more about this humble chef below.

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Can you tell us more about why you became a chef?

I love to eat and enjoy food and I love the culture which surrounds it.I like to make people feel good and enable them to enjoy moments of togetherness, sitting around the table together. I have always known that I would be a pastry chef, baking has always been my passion and I love sweet things. The experience of cooking from home played a fundamental role in my love for cooking. Watching and learning from my mother and grandmother as they cooked for relatives and friends really developed my passion - and Iove a dinner party!

How would you describe the food at Courmayeur Mont Blanc resort?

Courmayeur Mont Blanc is an extremely foodie destination - throughout the summer and winter season we offer delicious alpine and gourmet cuisine. The food we offer at Petit Royal in the Grand Hotel Royal e Golf is a contemporary cuisine using local products and ingredients. We are a fun and interactive kitchen always looking to develop recipes and expand our menus.

What made you decide to bake and deliver cakes during the initial COVID-19 period?

During lockdown our restaurant kitchens were close but we still had several ingredients to work with. As we were finding the current situation challenging, this got us thinking about people who were in far worse situations, isolated from their families and living in micro-communities, such as a retirement home. As we were not able to see our relatives either we thought the best way to spend lockdown would be cheering up other people - and what better way to do that than through cake deliveries!

We started delivering cakes around Easter time because so many of our regular customers got in touch with us to wish us a happy Easter - this was our inspiration. Following our Easter deliveries, we had so many messages of appreciation that we decided to keep going and visit different retirement villages in the area. We also started catering to different needs so our baked goods became gluten-free, lactose-free, sugar-free....

What is your signature dish at Petit Royal in the Grand Hotel Royal e Golf, Courmayeur Mont Blanc?

We change our dishes every season so we don't really offer a signature dish. All meals use local ingredients. Three times a week we collect herbs and natural products from the valleys.