Taka Bun

Paper is the traditional wedding anniversary gift for hitting the two-year mark, but Karime López found a better present for her husband.

The chef de cuisine of Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura set out to create a comfort food especially for Takahiko Kondo, who is sous-chef at Osteria Francescana. The type of bun like the ones he used eat in Tokyo as a quick snack or while having drinks with friends. When picked up by the hands, the soft Taka Bun feels like a jumbo marshmallow, revealing its colorful filling of red cabbage, coriander and tender pork belly glazed in a balsamic-miso sauce. The Taka Bun quickly became a hit at Gucci Osteria, earning its place as a mainstay on the menu, and Taka now makes a version of it as family meal for the staff at Osteria Francescana.