‘The Big Truffle’ goes on sale in Dubai at a price tag of Dh100,000

The Big Truffle will be sold in Bice Mare Restaurant in Dubai from this weekend - and will be going at Dh188 per gram.

DUBAI // A giant white truffle has been bought by a Dubai restaurant for Dh100,000.

The 530-gram truffle was bought by the Bice Mare, an Italian seafood restaurant in the Souk Al Bahar.

It was sold by Massimo Vidoni, who calls himself “The Truffle Man.”

Mr Vidoni runs the Dubai-based gourmet food importer Italtouch.

“Executive Chef Francesco Guarracino did not hesitate much to text me at 4am saying ‘we’ll take it!’,” said Mr Vidoni.

“Getting his boss in New York to approve the transaction, he says, was not easy. The fact that Bice Mare is a real Italian restaurant complete with 10 Italian-born chefs as kitchen crew helped in securing that ‘The Big Truffle’ landed again in a familiar place.

“This year has been exceptional for white truffles, the season started early and still looks very good for the next few months.

“Prices are lower than last year but it is becoming very rare to find truffles bigger than this one. And Chef Francesco did not want to miss the chance of getting on top. He is actually proposing a special menu with white truffles selling at Dh188 per gram,” he said.