Vincenzo Russo, Executive Chef of Furore Grand Hotel, the 5-star luxury hotel owned by the Irollo de Lutiis family on the Amalfi Coast, has won the Best Chef Under 35 award at the sixth edition of the Food & Wine Italia Awards 2025. Palazzo Ripetta, the venue of the event, witnessed the brilliance of this young Italian culinary talent, confirming his mastery in the haute cuisine scene. Born in 1995 and originally from Sant’Antonio Abate, Vincenzo Russo interprets contemporary cuisine by intertwining technique and creativity in a profound dialogue with Campanian tradition. The recognition from Food & Wine Italia consecrates him among the protagonists of the new generation of chefs redefining the Italian gastronomic identity. Food & Wine Italia, the Italian version of the historic American magazine, a reference point for gastronomy and lifestyle, celebrates the sector’s excellence every year. Chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, artisans, and entrepreneurs are awarded for their talent, passion, and vision, recognizing their visionary contribution to the transformation of Italian gastronomy. “Receiving this award is an honor that I share with my team,” says Vincenzo Russo. “I thank the Irollo de Lutiis family for their trust and Enrico Bartolini for his invaluable guidance. We believe in a conscious cuisine, where excellence arises from authenticity, and memory becomes the origin of every innovation.” “We are grateful to the Food & Wine Italia editorial team for this prestigious recognition,” comments Pietro Irollo de Lutiis, who, along with his brothers, has been leading the group’s activities in the luxury hospitality sector for years, “an award that projects Vincenzo Russo among the most promising protagonists of the Italian and international gastronomic scene. We are proud of the path he is pursuing with his team, which is reflected in a proposal capable of combining authenticity and contemporary vision: from the fine dining cuisine of the Michelin-starred Bluh Furore to the all-day dining offering of Acquarasa.” At the end of the awards, Chef Vincenzo Russo presented to over one hundred and fifty guests one of the signature dishes of his cuisine, on the menu at Bluh Furore since its opening: Veli di Mare, a contemporary reinterpretation of Pasta Maritata, a great classic of Campanian tradition, with seafood, smoked mozzarella, escarole, and Cetara anchovy sauce. A tribute to the territory and its gastronomic memory celebrated with contemporary technique and elegance. For the occasion, Chef Russo used “Amare” extra virgin olive oil from Frantoio di Sant’Agata d’Oneglia and replaced the usual risoni with Monograno Felicetti’s kamut ditalini. Thanks to a shared vision and profound mutual respect, the Irollo de Lutiis brothers recognized in Vincenzo Russo a young talent capable of giving identity and coherence to the entire gastronomic project of the hotel. His cuisine, rooted in the territory and technically avant-garde, has brought a contemporary language founded on memory and authenticity to the heart of the Amalfi Coast. The raw materials come from local producers and artisanal realities that share the same ethics of respect, quality, and seasonality. The Michelin Star awarded in November 2023 to the Bluh Furore restaurant, just over five months after the opening of the Furore Grand Hotel, represents the confirmation of a path built with determination, vision, and teamwork. In addition to the fine dining cuisine of Bluh Furore, Chef Russo coordinates the offering of the hotel’s various gastronomic outlets, signing a coherent and harmonious journey that accompanies the guest at every moment of the day. In Velaris, a panoramic terrace dedicated to awakening, breakfast becomes a gourmet ritual: a selection of organic eggs, artisanal pastries, and an à la carte proposal enhance the freshness of the ingredients and personalization for a “tailor-made” good morning for the guest. In Acquarasa, the all-day dining restaurant of Furore Grand Hotel, contemporary cuisine meets tradition. Alongside the main offering, Chef Vincenzo Russo has created the È Casa menu: a tribute to the Campanian recipes of the past, reinterpreted with lightness and respect through modern techniques. Born in 1995 and originally from Sant’Antonio Abate, Vincenzo Russo grew up among the scents of the Stabian area and the Monti Lattari, developing an early deep sensitivity for raw materials and the gastronomic identity of the Campanian territory. After hotel management studies, his talent soon led him to one of Italy’s most prestigious kitchens: that of Villa Crespi, alongside Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo, where he spent seven fundamental years. Here he acquired a rigorous technical background, made of discipline and vision, elements that today are reflected in his every gesture and every dish. After some experiences in Sardinia, in 2022 he was chosen by the Irollo de Lutiis family to lead, under the gastronomic consultancy of Chef Enrico Bartolini, the entire line of Furore Grand Hotel’s catering. Furore Grand Hotel expresses a model of contemporary hospitality in the heart of the Amalfi Coast. Overlooking the Furore fjord, the hotel is spread over nine terraces and is immersed in a 20,000 m² park. Thirty-five rooms and suites all with sea views, many with jacuzzi or private pool. Furore Grand Hotel was born in 2023 from a significant renovation project wanted by the Irollo de Lutiis family, already active in high-end hospitality with La Medusa Dimora di Charme on the Vesuvian Coast. The Michelin-starred Bluh Furore restaurant, under the supervision of Chef Enrico Bartolini and led by Resident Chef Vincenzo Russo, offers an excellent culinary experience. The Aquarasa Restaurant has a casual and all-day dining offering. The hotel pays great attention to well-being, thanks to the Petramare SPA and numerous outdoor spaces where guests can practice yoga, pilates, and mindfulness paths. The elegant SPA offers exclusive treatments signed by Valmont and a breathtaking view that accompanies every moment of relaxation. Furore Grand Hotel is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World circuit, combining Mediterranean elegance and contemporary design, and proposing itself as an ideal destination for exclusive and regenerating stays.
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Dining and Cooking