Marco Polo Dinner: A Bold Fusion of East and West Delights | Chow Feature

Chefs Mat Cable and Devon Sanner have unveiled the Marco Polo Dinner at Zio Peppe, a unique fusion of Italian and Chinese cuisines. This dining experience, inspired by the historic journeys of Venetian merchant Marco Polo, is set to take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, at the restaurant located at 6502 E. Tanque Verde Road.

“The Chinese element has always been appealing to me,” said Sanner. “This meal stems from our mutual love for Chinese cuisine, allowing us to cross-pollinate ingredients and techniques between Italian and Chinese culinary traditions.”

Co-owner Cable emphasized their passion for hospitality: “We love to entertain, and this dinner showcases that tenfold.”

The five-course meal kicks off with an assortment of three dim sum: porchetta gua bao bun, fennel sausage and shrimp siu mai, and roe and lo mai gai arancini. Following this, guests will enjoy linguine and langoustine with Italian XO cream sauce and chives.

The third course features red braised beef braciole, flanked by Mandarin and garlic gai lan, and served with Carolina gold rice polenta. For dessert, diners will be treated to a pandan cake with coconut buttercream and watermelon and lime ice cream.

Reservations are recommended, with tickets priced at $80 plus tax and gratuity.

Sanner detailed the collaborative brainstorming process behind the meal, involving himself, Cable, sous-chef Dan Heady, and second sous-chef Brian Hagan: “We asked ourselves how we could merge traditional items like a Taiwanese pork bun with Italian elements like our homemade porchetta.”

The evening serves as a tribute to culinary exchanges prompted by Marco Polo’s travels along the Silk Road in the late 13th century. Cable’s background in his family’s restaurant business influenced his culinary path, beginning with his parents’ gelato and pizzeria ventures.

“I always knew I wanted to be involved in creating food,” Cable said. “From dreaming about being the pizza guy to where we are now, it’s been an evolving journey.”

Sanner’s experience in the San Francisco Bay Area imparted a deep appreciation for Asian cuisine, later honed under chef Janos Wilder at Tucson’s Carriage House.

“Cooking is hard work,” Cable admitted, theorizing that chefs are driven by the sensory experience: “The crackling of oil, the sights, the smells—it’s our lifeblood.”

Sanner added, “For us, this restaurant is about building community through food. By partnering with local food makers and suppliers, we’re forging essential bonds within our community.”

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