Book tip of the week: Ottolenghi Comfort

With its new ongoing editorial series ‘The Personal Touch’, Portrait Hotels turns its attention to the individuals who shape the character of its properties in Milan, Florence and Rome: hosts, concierges, chefs, bartenders and members of the lifestyle team, whose stories, rituals and local perspectives become part of the Portrait Experience.

The focus is on personal insights, everyday Italian culture and those small gestures that turn a stay into more than just a trip. Rather than simply showcasing places, the series tells the stories of the people, memories and traditions that define the Italian way of life.

In July 2026, George Papazacharias, head chef at the acclaimed Delta restaurant in Athens, will bring his interpretation of modern Greek cuisine to Salzburg. At Restaurant Ikarus in Hangar-7, he will demonstrate why, in culinary terms, Greece has long been more than just moussaka, souvlaki and holiday memories, and how radically contemporary local produce can taste.

Have you ever found yourself standing at a beach kiosk during your summer holiday, saying: ‘I’d like two scoops of that… er… that ice cream thing over there”? Congratulations, you’ve just used what is arguably the most important word in the German language.