By: Journalist Margaux A. Cintrano
Photo Copyright: Annalisa Totero, Rob Southey, Corrado Passi

Author, Doctor and Travel Tourism Operator, Corrado Passi, was born in Cremona, in northern Italy, however, grew up in the enchantingly historical romantic city of Verona where he studied Medicine and Oral Surgery and managed his private practice for many years.
A passionate traveller, he decided to set up a Travel Tourism Agency, Unparalleled South African Tours, in Capetown, South Africa, wherein he creates personalised tailored travel services for Italians and foreigners alike .. Also a prolific, author and pеnner of uncountable books, his two latest books are Capetown and Oltre la Vita Felice .. Both are available in Italian .. This summer both books shall be available in English.
Margaux: Firstly, where were you born and raised ?
Corrado: I was born in Cremona, in the northern side of Italy, but I grew up in Verona, Veneto, where I got my Degree in Medicine & Surgery and where I managed my private practice for many years.
Margaux: What and who were the catalysts for your decisions to study medicine, which sector of medicine and then relocate to Capetown, South Africa ?
Corrado: I did not decide to study medicine driven by a specific passion: at that time I was more into literature and philosophy… At that time, I was specifically involved in oral surgery and oral implantology. In 2003, during a Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, I wondered if this city would have been a nice place to live and to make a radical change in my professional life. And it was. So I decided to move to Cape Town with my life partner, Natalia, and her child, Filippo, and I started becoming involved in the tourism industry – writing in my free time as much as I could. It was a very hectic, very energetic and satisfying period of my life.
Margaux: Tell us about Unparalleled South African Tours ?
Corrado: I’ve always been a traveller, so I decided to set up a Travel Company, Unparalleled South African Tours (Pty) Ltd, a tourism and travel consultancy company (Tour Operator) which provides people wishing to experience South Africa for leisure and business with personalised travel services, strictly tailor made: consulting and travel planning, transfer from airport to accommodation, a wide, complete range of accommodation establishments (from B&B/guest house to luxurious lodges, villas or apartments), half or full day sight-seeing tours, tailor made tours, self-drive tours, business travel and business networking, car, motorcycle 4×4 hire, escorted, guided tours, off the beaten track tours with experienced guides and sensational safaris.
Margaux: What has been the inspiration to pen three books in such a short time ? I am aware that you have recently published two books and you are working on a third book also to be published in 2018 .. Could you tell us briefly about the 3 books ?
Corrado: I started writing when I was a high school student, and I kept doing it for almost twenty years, but only when we moved to South Africa I realised that I would have liked doing it professionaly. The first book, “Cape Town” (Edizioni Polaris, Jan 2017), is a Guide about Cape Town and the Western Cape including many fictional stories narrating of many different people; “Oltre la vita felice” (Edizioni Polaris, Dec 2017) is a novel about a trip made by a south african woman – a professional – after she looses her child, who died in a car crash; the third, which will be published by June 2018, is set in Italy during the years of terrorism (early ‘80s). All these books have been written in a ten-year period of time, but I decided to publish them only four years ago. At the moment, I write every day, on a regular basis, for three or four hours per day – I’m currently working on my next book, of which I prefer not to release any further detail until it will be on the way to be published.
Margaux: Could you tell us about your latest projects for 2018 – 2019 ?
Corrado: I’m currently very busy writing and travelling to attend evening events, reading and presentations of my books in Italy, managed and planned by my Italian publishing company, “Casa Editrice Polaris”, and it takes a lot of time and energy. “Oltre la vita felice” and “Cape Town” will be translated into English by the end of 2018 and I’m communicating frequently with the professional translator who is in charge of it.
Hopefully I will probably complete my next book by the end of 2019/early 2020, and this is the main aim, I want to achieve by that time, my most important project.

Publisher Margaux Cintrano of Beyond Taste, Oltre il Gusto Magazine

Chef Mario SANDOVAL – Restaurant COQUE, Madrid Capital

By: Journalist Margaux A. Cintrano
Photo Copyright: Restaurant Coque, Madrid Capital

Executive Sandoval draws on the bounty of local seasonal products which he turns into various tasting crates with upscale taste explosions however, profoundly steeped in tradition with evolutionary twists. The exquisite venue located in Barrio Salamanca, Madrid, houses an excellent wine cellar.
The trilogy of brothers, Sommelier Rafael, Maître Diego and Executive Chef Mario Sandoval obtained three Michelin Status at their former restaurant, Coque, 28 kilometres from Madrid Capital in a small town called Humanes.
Several years ago, they decided to move into the Capital.
Chef Mario has written several books, including Whiskey and Food, which includes a gold mine of recipes for the home gourmet in mind.
Margaux: Tell us about your autumn 2019 carte.
Mario: Noquis Boletus Mushroom buttons served in an Iberian Ham broth is a nice warmer. Autumn´s seasonal vegetables from the family garden, Grilled Crevettes (carabiñeros) with a pinch of curry salt and citrus. Portobello with poached egg and a sprinkling of black truffle. Escabechado of Sea Bream. Roast lacquered in our wood ovens, Braised on flame wild squid, and Suckling Piglet (cochinillo)
Margaux: Wow ! Amazingly extraordinary .. And for dessert ?
Mario: Columbian Maracuya Fruit with Rum Candy and also a Chocolate something.
Margaux: To move on, tell us about your 1st restaurant, in Humanes.
Mario: Firstly, Humanes is 28 kilometres from the center of Madrid via railway. Coque had become a quintessential dining point of reference at an international level. I was the youngest Chef at that time to receive a Michelin Star in 2006. I was twenty five years old.
Margaux: I understand that you have also worked with Relais & Chateaux Hotels.
Mario: Yes, I had worked at Hotel Orfile in Barrio Colón. It was an exemplary experience and period of grand growth.
Margaux: 2020, do you have any projects or goals in mind ?
Mario: A second Michelin Star, hopefully .. And to enlargen our organic gardens.

Publisher Margaux Cintrano of Beyond Taste, Oltre il Gusto Magazine