… From VIVA restaurant in Milan

What makes your restaurant special?

My restaurant is special because it has been designed and imagined on the basis of who I am, on my manifesto, whose key words are inclusion, biodiversity, sustainability, love of food… on the values I want to convey, on the use of colour and light.

You personally studied and designed the spaces in your restaurant… Where did you get your inspiration and what atmosphere did you want to create?

Obviously, all these aspects were studied with professionals: Giulia Reali’s ALMAGREAL for the design of the brand, and Arca architects Sabrina Bignami and Alessandro Cappellaro for the design and appearance of the restaurant. The focus is on colour, light and iridescence.

What’s your best travel memory?

I’m lucky enough to be able to travel a lot, also because of my work, and get to know different cultures and countries. One of my best memories is certainly my trip to Colombia, where I was able to cook with local women in a wild and unspoilt natural environment, surrounded by music and their incredible energy.

Your cooking philosophy?

My philosophy is to use the environment and food to convey the idea of being ‘VIVA’ (which, in Italian, means ‘alive’), using living raw materials, colours, emotions and vitality. In my dishes, taste and ingredients are the protagonists.