The Alba white truffle association - a group based in a region of Italy where truffle production is rife - are fighting to honour the truffle’s good name as a law suit involving a hefty restaurant bill hits the courts.
The dispute came about after a high flying business man took five guests out to dinner at Michelin-starred restaurant Cracco Peck in Milan, where they all gorged on white truffles but refused to pay the €4,000 (£3,500 - gulp) bill. Media reports about the incident have emerging as the Alba association tries to defend the rare fungus.
Head chef/owner at the restaurant and author of White Truffle Utopia, Carlo Cracco, stated that he was unwilling to accept the man’s attempt to pacify the situation by offering to pay half the bill. He also denied
that there was ever any dispute over the weight or price of the expensive delicacies before the group began eating. Cracco further added that the group consumed between them 300g of truffle - which prices in
at €10.90 per gram.
“They did not want to see the menus. They just said: ‘We want the truffles’,” he said, adding that they picked two large ones and were duly informed of the weight.
However, the man in question went to the press, and newspapers have published that the truffle had not been weighed - although he declined to reveal his identity.
It is a less than good time for any bad press on luxury living/spending during the economic meltdown and suppliers of the rare and expensive food are obviously concerned about losing custom.
In reaction to the dispute, the Alba truffle association wish to introduce a code of conduct for establishments that serve truffle dishes as part of their menu.
The Alba truffle association’s lawyer, Roberto Ponzio, said, “All the media hype about this dinner is damaging for the truffle. It has created a link in people’s minds between truffles and nasty surprises at the end of a dinner.”
Alba, situated in Langhe - a hilly southern area of Piedmont - is the largest producer of white truffles - considered to be the ‘daddy’ of all underground fungus. There is an 80 year old tradition in the town of 30,000, where they hold an annual truffle fair in the autumn.
“We are comfortable with the price the restaurant charged,” said Alberto Cirio, head of the Association for the International Fair of the Alba White Truffle, which organises the annual event. “But we want to make sure we avoid misunderstandings in the future.”
Mr Cirio revealed that the association hopes to convince restaurants to come to an understanding about the delicacy to ensure they are weighed and grated on the plate in full view of the diners, with price in clear view, to avoid any future confusion or ‘nasty surprises’.
