Italian cuisine is famous throughout the world for its variety, quality and creativity. But who are the young chefs who are carrying on this tradition with innovation and passion? In this article we present ten chefs under 35 who are making themselves noticed on the national and international gastronomic scene, and who can be a source of inspiration for the students of the Congusto Institute's professional cooking course. Let's discover their stories, their philosophies and their specialties
Charles Pearce , Nordelaia, Cremolino (Al) - chef
Charles Pearce is a young English chef who has chosen Italy as his second home. Born in 1992, Charles began his career in England, where he learned the value of seasonality and the quality of ingredients. He then moved to San Francisco, to Milan, where he discovered the great Italian tradition, and finally to Piedmont, where he met chef Andrea Ribaldone, who chose him as executive chef of Nordelaia, a gastronomic project based on the circular economy between three different proposals: Lorto, the Bistro and the Lounge Bar. Charles stands out for his (almost) entirely vegetable cuisine, in which he enhances local products with creativity and technique, creating balanced, colorful and surprising dishes.
Giacomo Lovato , Borgia Milano, Milan - chef
Giacomo Lovato, born in 1990, is the chef at the helm of the Borgia Milano restaurant, an elegant and refined address in the heart of the Milanese city. Giacomo has a very respectable CV: after graduating from the De Filippi Hotel Institute in Varese and specializing in a professional cooking school, he worked at the Sadler Restaurant, in Dublin, at the Hotel Splendido, at the Lino Restaurant, and has did a training internship with Alain Ducasse and Romain Meder at the Plaza Athenee in Paris. His cuisine is a synthesis of experiences, cultures and flavours, in which he expresses his personality and sensitivity. Among its proposals, the Psyche menu stands out, offering a personalized experience based on the diner's preferences and emotions, the result of a conversation with the maître d'.
Davide Frigerio , Osteria Abbiccì, Seregno (MB) - chef
Davide Frigerio, born in 1992, is the chef of the Osteria Abbiccì in Seregno, a place managed by a team of under 30s, where he is in the kitchen and in the dining room is Gabriele Elli, son of the starred chef Mauro Elli. Davide has always had a passion for cooking, which he cultivated by attending the "Gianni Brera" hotel institute in Como and working with prestigious chefs, such as Mauro Elli, Kevin Thornton, Corrado Corti, Alessandro Gilmozzi and Alain Ducasse. His cooking philosophy is based on simplicity, never banal, and on the valorization of seasonal and quality ingredients. His cuisine is a tribute to Italian tradition, revisited with originality and attention to detail.
Fabrizio Mellino , Quattro Passi, Nerano (Na) - chef
Fabrizio Mellino, born in 1991, is the chef of the Quattro Passi restaurant, three Michelin stars, located in a splendid villa in Nerano, on the Amalfi Coast. Fabrizio literally grew up in the kitchen, that of his father Antonio, founder of the restaurant in 1983. After studying at the Paul Bocuse institute in Lyon, he worked in some of the best restaurants in the world, such as Alain Ducasse's Louis by Mauro Colagreco and Noma by René Redzepi. His passion is fish processing, which he carries out with particular attention, respecting seasonality and sustainability. His cuisine is a tribute to his land, its history and its culture, in which he enhances local products with creativity and technique, creating dishes that are a balance between tradition and innovation.
Davide Marzullo , Trattoria Contemporanea, Lomazzo (Co) - chef
Davide Mazullo, born in 1996, is the chef of Trattoria Contemporanea, one Michelin star, located in a former cotton factory in Lomazzo, in the province of Como. Davide began his career at 14 years old, when he attended the hotel institute in Gallarate and worked in several restaurants in the area. At 18 he moved to London, where he worked at the Ritz, the Sketch and the Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. In 2019 he returned to Italy, where he took the reins of the kitchen of Trattoria Contemporanea, together with his partner and mentor, Angelo Sabatelli. His cuisine is a fusion between Italian tradition and international influences, in which he offers dishes that are a balance between taste and aesthetics. His cooking philosophy is based on play, wit and entertainment, in which he involves the diner in a unique and fun experience.
Davide Guidara , Tenerumi, Vulcano (Me) - chef
Davide Guidara, born in 1994, is the chef of the Tenerumi restaurant, one Michelin star, located in a splendid villa in the Therasia Resort Sea & Spa, on the island of Vulcano. His cuisine is a tribute to his land, its history and its culture, in which he enhances local products with creativity and technique, creating dishes that are a balance between tradition and innovation. In 2022 it won its first Michelin star and the green star, which rewards sustainability. In 2023 he received the young chef of the year award from the Michelin guide.
Caterina Ceraudo , Dattilo, Strongoli (Kr) - chef
Caterina Ceraudo, born in 1987, is the chef of Dattilo, a Michelin star, located within the Ceraudo farm, owned by the family since 1973. Caterina discovered her passion for cooking in 2006, when she began working of the wine list and room service in the family restaurant. In 2011 she graduated in oenology from the University of Pisa and trained at a professional cooking school. His cuisine consists of few elements, which enhance the simple, balanced and light flavours, with a strong focus on the quality and origin of the products, many of which come from his own organic farm. In 2017 Caterina received the award as best female chef for the Michelin Italy guide and in 2019 she obtained the green star recognition, for her commitment to sustainability and respect for nature.
Davide Caranchini , Materia, Cernobbio (Co) - chef
Davide Caranchini, born in 1990, is the chef of Materia, a Michelin star, located in a former spinning mill in Cernobbio, on Lake Como. Davide has followed his dream of becoming a chef since he was a child, attending the hotel institute in Como and then leaving for important international experiences, including Le Gavroche and Apsleys in London and Noma in Copenhagen. It is precisely in the latter that he discovered and explored the plant world in all its facets, researching the potential of what nature offers. His cuisine is a combination of tradition and innovation, in which it enhances the products of the Como area, especially lake fish, with modern techniques and cultural contaminations. His cuisine is also a game, a challenge, a surprise, which involves all the diner's senses.
Ciro Scamardella , Pipero, Rome - chef
Ciro Scamardella, born in 1990, is the chef of Pipero, a Michelin star, located in an elegant building in the center of Rome. Ciro began his professional career at 14 years old, when he attended the hotel management institute in Naples and worked in various restaurants in Campania. He then enriched his CV with experiences in Spain, at Martin Berasategui's restaurant, and in Rome, at Roy Caceres' Metamorfosi restaurant. His cuisine is an explosion of flavors and emotions, in which each dish presents a memory of classic recipes revisited in a more contemporary key and created with sophisticated techniques. His cuisine is a tribute to his land of origin, the Campi Flegrei area, from which he draws inspiration and ingredients, such as fish, seafood, vegetables and aromatic herbs. His cuisine is a dialogue with the customer, to whom he offers a unique and memorable experience.
These are just some of the young talents of Italian cuisine who deserve to be followed and appreciated. They are chefs who have been able to combine tradition and innovation, passion and professionalism, taste and beauty. They are chefs who can be an example and a stimulus for the students of the professional cooking course for chefs at the Congusto Institute, who want to pursue a career in the world of food. They are chefs who represent the future of Italian gastronomy!
