Hunt for the world’s most prized white truffles in Piedmont, before indulging in a decadent tasting menu designed around nature’s most elusive luxury.
Under the rolling hills of northern Italy’s Piedmont is the town of Alba, a name that evokes reverence among foodies. Each autumn, this UNESCO-recognized land is home to the world’s most exclusive culinary ritual: the white truffle hunt. But for the sophisticated traveller, it is less the hunt than the subsequent feast.
It begins at sunrise with a private truffle hunt through misty woods with a local trifolao (truffle hunter) and his beautifully trained Lagotto Romagnolo dog. It is a silent, meditative hunt, walking through hazelnut and oak woods as the dog sniffs, stops, and pats gently — revealing the bumpy, aromatic “white diamonds” of the earth. These rare fungi, the Tuber magnatum, are priced at up to €6,000 per kilogram, and being in short supply, they are one of the priciest ingredients on the planet.
Following the harvest, guests are escorted to a local Michelin-starred restaurant or luxury relais, such as Piazza Duomo or Relais San Maurizio, where the just unearthed treasures are transformed in an unforgettable culinary experience. White truffle here isn’t garnish — it’s the star.
Multi-course degustation menu is a paradise of excess and restraint for a connoisseur. Soft-poached farm egg with shaved truffle and fleur de sel, handmade tajarin pasta in 40-yolk butter, veal tartare with truffle drops, creamy risotto filled with Barolo reduction and finished with a dusting of ivory curls.
Every dish emerges like a piece of art — minimalist yet powerful, designed to allow the profound earthiness of the truffle to take centre stage. The dining room air is filled with its acrid perfume, causing a sensory high before your fork even so much as makes contact with the plate.
After dessert — perhaps truffle-tasting panna cotta or hazelnut torte — guests can retire to the wine cellar for a grappa tasting or a special cigar and truffle chocolate pairing. Overnight visitors indulge in private spa treatments that include truffle skin treatments and thermal hot spring soaks with views of the Langhe hills in vineyard estates and hilltop villas.
This is the essence of terroir, tradition, and taste, where guests are connected directly to the land, the ingredient, and the artisans who work their magic. It’s not a question of a special dish — but of knowing its journey from forest floor to porcelain plate, in the midst of history, luxury, and the elegance of Italian hospitality.
