The Story of

ALESSANDRO RUGGLE

Milan, Italy

Alessandro is a dear friend of ours and has been working in the food industry for over seven years. He graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra, Italy, the city of Slow Food. He's spent the last seven years working shoulder to shoulder with renown Chef Carlo Cracco, where he manages the chef's events and communication.

RUFFO IBARRA

Tijuana, Mexico

Chef Ruffo was raise in Tijuana, the terren entrance to the border most active of the planet. He enjoyed cooking since he was a kid, appreciated the time he had with his mother in the kitchen.

His father was not so exited of him forming this as his career until he saw him he was decided to demonstrate his vision and passion in this career. He worked at Gran Hotel Tijuana at day for free and at night Baci in San Diego. Then he signed up to Culinary Art School in Tijuana. He started working for Javier Plascencia at Romesco in San Diego, California. Later for Jesús Sánchez at Cenador de Amos, a restaurant with two Michelin stars at Cantabria, Spain. He came back with enough experience to expand and become a caterer.

He opened Oryx Capital his restaurant on 2015 where it offers a fusion between Cali-Baja and 6 months later a bar Nortico with as a family business.

Recently he traveled to Modena, Italy to cook and learn from Massimo Bottura in Osteria Francescana.When he came back he was name Promesa Culinaria which means Culinary promise by the Todos Santos magazine. Oryx Capital was named Restaurant of the year by CANIRAC from Baja California.

FRANCESCO VINCENZI

Modena, Italy

Francesco Vincenzi was born in Emilia Romagna in 1992. He arrived at Osteria Francescana at the young age of 17 directly out of culinary school in Serramazzoni. Actually, his first restaurant experience was not in the kitchen but the dinning room where Massimo encouraged him to pursue a career in hospitality due to his natural grace; however, Francesco was determined to enter the kitchen.  During his ten-year experience at Osteria Francescana, he developed a deep passion for Emilian ingredients from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the Po River Valley and when he arrived in Franceschetta in 2018, he brought with him relationships with food artisans in the region forged over the years. Under the supervision of Massimo Bottura, Francesco creates seasonal menus expressing Emilian culinary traditions juxtaposed with memories of his travel experiences with Osteria Francescana. His kitchen is immediately recognizable, wholesome and without preconceptions but never misses an opportunity for an unexpected surprise. At Franceschetta, Francesco found the perfect balance between the kitchen and the dinning room as he is often seen behind the counter keeping an eye on the room while room slicing pancetta and sharing stories with guests. Francesco was awarded Best Italian Chef Under 30 by the restaurant guide Identità Golose.

TAKA MAEZAKI

Tokyo, Japan

Chef Taka Maezaki was born and raised in the iconic bustling streets of Tokyo Japan.
Japan taught him both popular authentic and traditional styles of Japanese cuisine. In 2006 his career led him to the US where he completed training and continues to master the art in traditional and fusion styles of Sushi. His contemporary fusion style has definitely earned a reputation for popularity amongst the many different backgrounds the melting pot of Los Angeles has to offer.
Currently Chef Taka shares his craft with others teaching cooking classes and providing a private chef experience on the West Coast. He can also be spotted behind the table at the newest boutique Sushi house Umeda restaurant on Melrose. No hiding behind a glass showcase here, Chef Taka’s knife skills are upfront and personal as you watch him slice each incredible bite.
With over 10 years behind him, Chef Taka provides a new experience where traditional Japanese food is infused with fun and all “Handrolled” into one!

FABIO VOTA

Salerno, Italy

Chef Fabio Vota was born and raised in Salerno, Italy near the Amalfi coast. He has been a chef since he was 14 years old. He cooked for the Italian national soccer team in 2006 when they won the World Cup. Since moving to LOS ANGELES he has been chef to the stars; Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Secrest, ANDREA bocelli, and is the private chef of Guess jeans founder Paul Marciano. 

MARIO VOLLERA

Rome, Italy

Mario Vollera, Chef and Owner of South End ! South End opened in 2013 on the bustling Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach, CA. South End has become a Venice staple thanks to Mario as the head pizzaiolo. He combines old school techniques of Italian pizza with local, seasonal ingredients to craft his rustic, sourdough style pizzas.

DENIS GIRAMONDO

Caiazzo, Naples, Italy

Denis Dello Stritto is nothing if not passionate about authentic Italian cuisine and the traditions from which it evolved. The roots of Dello Stritto’s culinary ardour were planted during his childhood in a small farming village north of Naples, Italy. The village, Caiazzo, has historically been famed for the quality of its olives and more, and nearly everyone is engaged in food production. “The smell, the taste and the honest culture were part of my upbringing,” he says. “Simplicity and respect for the ingredients are what I need to give guests the essence of my land.” Pursuit of quality product is a big priority for Dello Stritto, who personally combs farmers markets and fish markets for the best ingredients from local purveyors. While the significance of such ingredients can’t be minimised, Dello Stritto says it can be quantified: “60 percent of what makes a professional Italian chef is the chef, and 40 percent is the quality of the product.” What percentage is passion for the Italian chef, then? “Passion is 120%!”  he says. Dello Stritto’s dream is for a restaurant where people don’t even need to see the menu - instead, they just feel a connection with the food.

MARTA COLOMBO

Milan, Italy

Marta's love for food goes beyond what one could imagine. Although her day job is not related to cooking, she's been cooking with her grandma since she was a little kid and she's agreed to share some of the secret recipes of her family. Don't miss her class!

NATALIA PEREIRA

Minas Geiras, Brazil

"NATALIA Pereira, the chef and co-owner of downtown L.A.'s WoodSpoon restaurant, says her mother taught her everything she knows about the rich, whimsical food of Brazil. Raised on a family farm in the town of Betim, Pereira remembers her mother cooking for everyone, including the priest and Pereira’s school friends. “Every morning when I woke up, my mom was by the wood stove, and also every night when I went to sleep,” she recalls."

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A petite, fashionable woman with smooth coffee-colored skin, a broad smile and warm, brown eyes, Pereira talks about food with the same careful attention to detail with which she cooks. “Food is a very provocative thing; you can learn a lot from it,” she says over a large cup of cafe com leite made on the kitchen stove with thick, twice-boiled milk and dark, aromatic coffee -- just like the kind found at Rio’s “dirty foot” bars.

It’s WoodSpoon’s trademark: combining an authenticity of flavor and vibe to make a truly holistic dining experience. “Brazil is a poor country, a simple country, but there is a beauty there that is fresh and real,” Pereira says. Her restaurant reflects that simplicity with smooth, blond-wood tables, picture windows populated by sunflower stalks leaning playfully out of milk bottles, and a warm, open kitchen. There, Pereira works to translate the sensuality of Brazil into the delicate flavors on the plates of food she serves.

- Los Angeles Times by Jessica Gelt

FRANCESCO LUCATORTO

Genova, Italy

Francesco Lucatorto was born in Genova, the world capital of focaccia, growing up in Chiavari with his family, was surrounded by the flavors and perfumes of the ligurian coast. After having studied Culinary Arts in Italy. At age 19 moved to London, England at “L’Anima”, a well renowned italian restaurant, He continued his education in Italy, attending ALMA (culinary arts academy) graduated among the best student of the year, right after he had the opportunity to land at Providence restaurant, under Chef Micheal Cimarusti, rewarded with 2 michelin stars in 2009. He soon began exploring the panorama of the LA food scene, working for “Terroni”, “Officine Brera”, “Otium restaurant”, followed by the opening of Sixth+Mill Pizzeria and recently landed at the Osteria Angelini working as a sous chef. His passion for food in general lately brought him to discover the beauty of baking, kneading and proofing dough, linked with his strong Ligurian roots, gave life of almost an obsession about focaccia.

MIRKO PADERNO

Milan, italy

Milan-born Mirko Paderno is a James Beard-nominated chef and is of the most respected Italian chefs in Los Angeles. Paderno has become a star on the local culinary scene since 1999, fusing authentic Italian flavors with locally grown ingredients through delicate culinary techniques. 

CHEF DOÑA ELSA GARCIA

Limón, Costa Rica

Chef Doña Elsa Garcia works as a chef in Limon, Costa Rica where she hosts an EPIC tortilla stand at the local farmers market. She was born in Nicaragua but has lived in Costa Rica for the past 30 years. Her specialty is a tasty Nicaraguan - Costa Rican fusion.

CHEF ALMA FERNANDA REGALADO

San Diego, California

Alma was born in San Diego and raised on both sides of the border. Her interest in cooking began when she was a little girl. Always experimenting in the kitchen and trying out new ingredients. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu with a Bachelor in Business Gastronomy and worked in several restaurants including a 2 Michellin Star restaurant in Madrid. Chef Alma Fernanda offers an all around food service. She currently mainly focuses on cooking workshops where she teaches her favorite recipes mainly inspired by travels and her experience being raised in the Mexico-US border. Her main goal is sharing her passion for food and helping people realize cooking is meant to be fun and not scary. She shares food that comes from the heart.

SILVIA CARLUCCIO

 Milan, Italy

Silvia Carluccio was born in Legnano, Italy, and moved to Los Angeles in 2011 to pursue the dream of organizing concerts. After working for Live Nation Entertainment from 2012 to 2019, Silvia started her own company with the mission to produce and promote events with social impact. During this time of quarantine and events being banned, Silvia suddenly had time to focus on her other big passion: cooking. After cooking meals for friends and family, she saw an opportunity in building a platform for sharing authentic Italian recipes while helping chefs earn some money during this difficult time and founded Impastiamo Online with the help of Francesco Lucatorto and Francesca Pistorio.