Tell us briefly about your background and your current work:

I started cooking when I was 16; my first experience was with chef Carlo Cracco. Then I started traveling, until I was 24, and had many experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants. I had so many good chefs teach me how to cook: Carlo Cracco, but also Antonia Klugmann, Martin Berasategui, Lorenzo Cogo, and many more. When I turned 24, I opened my first restaurant, in my hometown, and I closed it after almost three years to move to Bologna. I opened Ahimè in July, 2020, and I’m gonna open a new place here in the center of Bologna in September.

Why did you choose to stay in Italy?

I love my country, and I think that for young people it’s important to find a way to make a difference here, rather than going abroad. I went abroad to learn and meet new people, to open my mind, but I always wanted to get back to Italy.

What are your predictions for the future of the restaurant industry in Italy? 

I’m glad to see people giving more and more importance to sustainability and concrete things. I’m pretty sure that there will be increasing attention to consistent things, rather than ephemeral ones. Looking for good quality food–made with fresh and high quality, local ingredients–will be the foundation on which we will build a new culinary identity.

What are the biggest obstacles and satisfactions you face working in this country?

I think that the only huge obstacle here in Italy is the bureaucracy, which obviously affects everything; things are managed in a slow and outdated manner. Companies, in general, should be more supported, especially the restaurant and tourism sectors, given their importance in this country!

But if, despite the difficulties, you manage to open a restaurant, form a team of young people who work with respect and tranquility, and satisfy your customers… Well, then all of this becomes priceless.