This August, Amalfi's Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel stages an extraordinary four-hands feast. Executive Chef Claudio Lanuto will welcome Michelin-starred Viennese innovator Paul Gamauf to Dei Cappuccini's seaside terrace. Together they promise a menu marrying Campania's sunlit produce with low-waste, fermentation-driven Alpine technique. Guests will dine above the Mediterranean in a restored thirteenth-century convent once home to Capuchin monks. Lanuto's coastal classics and Gamauf's seasonal creations will alternate across eight courses with curated regional wine pairings. Advance reservations are essential, offering travelers a rare chance to taste two Anantara philosophies in concert.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Limited two-night, eight-course dinner merges Amalfi tradition with Vienna's Michelin innovation.
- Venue: Dei Cappuccini Restaurant, terrace suspended over the Amalfi Coast at Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel.
- Chefs: Claudio Lanuto and Paul Gamauf alternate courses, highlighting Campania seafood and Alpine summer produce.
- Added value: Curated Italian and Austrian wine pairings complete the immersive culinary journey.
Snapshot
Dei Cappuccini's terrace, once the cloister walk of a Capuchin monastery, now frames sunset views across Amalfi Bay. Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel opened last season after a sensitive restoration that retained chapels, orchards and vaulted corridors. The hotel's fine-dining flagship holds one Michelin Plate and sources vegetables from its hillside gardens overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. EDVARD in Vienna earned a Michelin star under Chef Paul Gamauf for dishes marrying Nordic clarity with Austrian terroir. Both kitchens follow low-waste principles, practicing nose-to-tail butchery, seasonal pickling and minimal packaging. Their union promises a storytelling menu where Campania lemons meet Austrian mirabelles under the summer constellations.
Background
Four-hands dinners, popular in Europe's culinary capitals, allow chefs to share technique without abandoning signature styles. Anantara regularly stages such collaborations to showcase its portfolio's regional diversity and promote culinary sustainability. Claudio Lanuto trained in Naples and London before returning home to elevate Campania's monastic recipes. Paul Gamauf earned his star at EDVARD by blending forest-foraged ingredients with classical Viennese sauce work. The August dates coincide with Ferragosto season, when Amalfi's hotels approach peak occupancy. Travelers already vacationing along the coast can secure reservations via the hotel's dining concierge or online. Prices, including pairings, start at €280 per person, reflecting the event's intimate scale. Limited seating ensures each course arrives directly from the chefs' hands without compromise ever. Early booking packages include preferred terrace seating and breakfast at Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel.
Latest Developments
Menu Highlights and Wine Pairings Revealed
Anantara released the complete eight-course lineup this week, detailing alternating plates from both chefs. Lanuto opens with the restaurant's Bread Ritual, featuring grissini quills beside Gamauf's house-cultured sourdough. Gamauf's signature vegetable starter pairs zucchini ribbons, fennel cream and mirabelle granita, garnished with elderflower oil. Lanuto counters with basil-pesto risotto crowned by red prawns and bright pizzaiola reduction. Mains progress to Alpine lamb glazed in fermented plum, followed by local amberjack wrapped in lemon leaves. Desserts finish on cherry, almond and lime precision before an Amalfitan tarte showcasing heritage citrus. Sommelier-selected pairings move from crisp Greco di Tufo to mineral Wachau Riesling, ending with Limoncello-infused grappa. Only twenty tables will be served each evening, reinforcing exclusivity and personalized storytelling from kitchen to table.
Analysis
Four-hands collaborations have become events for Luxury Hotels seeking to differentiate gastronomic programs beyond standard tasting menus. They leverage the chefs' social reach, drive room bookings, and generate press coverage across both originating markets. Anantara strategically pairs properties with contrasting culinary identities, here juxtaposing coastal Campania against Vienna's landlocked seasonality. The format resonates with affluent travelers who increasingly prioritize experiential value and sustainability alongside accommodation comfort. Gamauf's low-waste philosophy, highlighted through fermentation and nose-to-tail butchery, answers consumer demand for conscious indulgence. Lanuto's storytelling approach meanwhile strengthens the destination narrative, connecting guests to Amalfi's convent history and regional growers. Pricing the dinner at €280 positions the property competitively against starred experiences in Naples and Positano. Limited seating ensures Instagram-worthy plating arrives with fine-dining pacing rather than banquet style, safeguarding reputational upside. For U.S. travelers planning August Amalfi Coast trips, the dinner offers culturally anchored value during shoulder season. If successful, Anantara may replicate the format across other European resorts, further elevating the brand's gastronomic reputation. The collaboration also aligns with a wider trend of hotels leveraging food events to capture non-resident dining revenue. Since 2023, luxury properties have reported up to 25-percent F&B revenue spikes during headline chef partnerships. Data from STR suggest hotel restaurants hosting temporary activations enjoy occupancy lifts thanks to increased media exposure. Anantara's decision therefore reflects both branding ambition and an evidence-based revenue diversification strategy today.
Final Thoughts
Dining itineraries increasingly shape where and when travelers book luxury stays along the Mediterranean. Anantara's August collaboration merges bucket-list scenery, sustainable technique, and narrative cuisine into one concise experience. Reservations are limited, yet the concept signals broader opportunities for travelers seeking meaningful cross-cultural culinary moments. Whether drawn by coastal vistas or Michelin pedigree, guests will depart with lasting memories of craftsmanship. The four-hands format also leaves minimal carbon footprint compared with pop-up kitchens or long Tours. For summer visitors to Italy, securing a seat promises the pinnacle of local flavor and global refinement. Time, tide and talent converge for an unmissable Amalfi four-hands dinner.