Raised in Mazzarrone, in Sicily’s Catania area, he discovered an early calling for the kitchen. After graduating from the Hospitality Institute in Modica, he pursued a path that blended academic training and hands-on practice, completing studies at ALMA – The International School of Italian Cuisine, where he paired technical mastery with a solid foundation in management.
His professional milestones shaped both his perspective and language in the kitchen. The first station was Duomo in Ragusa Ibla with Ciccio Sultano (two MICHELIN stars), a temple of contemporary Sicilian cuisine. From there he moved to Piedmont, joining Antica Corona Reale in Cervere under Gian Piero Vivalda—an encounter that opened the door to a land distant yet surprisingly akin to Sicily, for its culinary traditions and a deep culture of good food.
After a spell in grand hotel dining at The Ashbee Hotel in Taormina, he chose to relocate permanently to Vernante, in the Maritime Alps. Here he embraced the philosophy of the Macario family, guardians for seven generations of Ristorante Nazionale, an address where history, culture, and territory interlace. A bond of trust and collaboration took shape, allowing him to define his culinary identity alongside Maurizio, custodian of the house tradition, and Christian, who leads the dining room and cellar.
What followed is an “alliance” that gradually renewed the restaurant’s offering: on one side, in-depth research on local ingredients; on the other, contemporary techniques that refresh and enrich tradition. This vision has helped distinguish the Nazionale within the gastronomic landscape of the Cuneo valleys.
Today, he advances his research inside and beyond the restaurant, convinced that cuisine can power a more virtuous local economy. He collaborates with farms to plan crops, with hunters engaged in selective game management, and with breeders safeguarding native breeds—from Fassona to Sambuco sheep—helping to build sustainable, circular networks. His cooking interlaces memory and forward-looking technique, with an eye constantly fixed on the territory and its possibilities.
The MICHELIN star in 2021 (for the 2022 Guide), confirmed in subsequent editions, Three Hats from L’Espresso, and Two Forks from Gambero Rosso consecrate a path that has given voice to two different lands, united by a shared idea of authenticity. Today he keeps searching, experimenting, and building ties—because, for him, cooking is not only creative gesture but responsibility toward community, landscape, and future.
Dining and Cooking