Massimo Bottura is one of the leading figures of Italian cuisine: repeatedly elected Best chef in the world, he is one of the most influential personalities in global food, managing to combine a dialogue with contemporary art and a commitment to helping the less fortunate.
Massimo Bottura was born in Modena in 1962. His father, who worked in petroleum products, wanted him by his side. Bottura, after leaving law studies, worked for a while as a wholesaler, before dedicating himself to his passion: cooking, at the cost of breaking ties with his father. He took over the "Trattoria del Campazzo," just outside Modena, in 1986. It is here that he was struck by the wisdom of Lidia Cristoni, while beginning a dialogue with French chef Georges Coigny, an eminence of Piacentian cuisine, beginning to combine regional cuisine and classicism in an original way.
In 1994, Bottura sold the trattoria and headed to Monte Carlo to work with Alain Ducasse at "Louis XV." This experience motivated him to open the "Osteria Francescana" a year later. Then in 1996, he had another providential meeting with Ferran Adrià, for whom he worked one summer at "ElBulli," introducing an avant-garde paradigm to his composite style. There was also a stint at New York's "Caffè di Nonna," where he met his wife Lara Gilmore, who would support him in the most challenging times, persuading him not to give up. Thus, year after year, the cuisine of "Osteria Francescana" became more refined and complex, featuring philosophical and historical suggestions in an uninterrupted dialogue with contemporary art, spurred by the great gallerist Emilio Mazzoli, promoter of the transavantgarde.
In 2002, he received his first MICHELIN Star, followed by a second one in 2006. The year 2011 was magical: Bottura received the prestigious Grand Prix de l’Art from the International Culinary Academy in Paris and the third MICHELIN Star, placing him at the top of all gastronomic guides. While gathering laurels worldwide, he conceptualized his cuisine through milestone books like Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef (Come to Italy with me), published in 2014, documenting twenty years of cooking and the evolution of the Osteria through images, storytelling, and recipes.
But Massimo Bottura also stands out for his commitment to mobilizing the gastronomic community in support of noble causes. During ExpoMilano 2015, he created a parallel
project called Refettorio Ambrosiano, with the aim of combating hunger and deprivation by tackling food waste, the other side of the coin. From that moment on, over sixty chefs from all over the world have taken turns in the kitchens to prepare nutritious and healthy meals for those in need, in a hall embellished with works of art. As a result of the success of this project, Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore founded the non-profit association Food for Soul in 2016, from which other projects originated: Refettorio Gastromotiva in Rio de Janeiro, Refettorio Felix in London, Refettorio Paris, Refettorio Antoniano in Bologna, and Refettorio Made in Cloister in Naples. Despite pandemic turbulences, Food for Soul continues to work on new projects to support local communities. The Refectories Mérida and Lima opened in 2020, along with the Refectories in Harlem and San Francisco; while in 2021, it was the turn of Refettorio OzHarvest in Sydney and Refettorio Geneva in Switzerland, with other projects still in progress.
To raise awareness on these issues, Massimo Bottura published the book Bread is Gold (Bread is Gold) in 2017, which collects recipes, ideas, and experiences from chefs who passed through Refettorio Ambrosiano, to encourage readers to consider ingredients in their pantry and home refrigerators differently.
On February 6, 2017, Massimo Bottura received an Honorary Degree in Business Administration from the University of Bologna. Dean Francesco Ubertini opened his speech as follows: "Massimo Bottura's work has spread in the fields of entrepreneurship, education, and technique, and represents a virtuous example of the promotion of Italian Culture and Made in Italy". This was the first honorary degree awarded to a chef in the history of the University. Then on April 23, 2018, the Academy of Fine Arts of Carrara awarded him a second diploma.
In 2011, the "Osteria Francescana," which offered guests an iconoclastic reinterpretation of Italian cuisine, was joined in Modena by "Franceschetta58," a bistro that reinterpreted Emilian ingredients and cornerstones in a relaxed atmosphere, led by Chef Francesco Vincenzi. In 2018, it was the turn of "Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura" in Florence, a place that aims to celebrate the union of local traditions, led by Mexican Chef Karime López, who received a MICHELIN Star in 2019. Other "Gucci Osteria" followed in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Seoul, and Tokyo, where a MICHELIN Star was awarded.
The year 2019 saw the birth of two other projects. First, the opening of "Torno Subito" in Dubai, in collaboration with "W Hotels Worldwide," intending to take guests back in time, inside the atmospheres of the sweet life in the Romagna Riviera in the '60s. In the same year, "Casa Maria Luigia" was inaugurated, a guest house housed in an 18th-century villa dotted with works of art. It is home to the restaurant "FRANCESCANA" at Maria Luigia, where a tasting menu is served consisting of a selection of signatures such as the Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different textures and temperatures, The Crispy Part of the Lasagna, and Oops! I dropped the lemon tart.
In March 2020, during the first lockdown, Massimo Bottura and his daughter Alexa gave life to "Kitchen Quarantine," a program of live Instagram broadcasts made every evening by the Bottura family to interact with homes around the world, cook together, and exchange ideas on how to reduce domestic food waste, which was rewarded with a Webby Award. Moreover, the "Osteria Francescana" received the Green MICHELIN Star, an award for the commitment against food waste, in favor of a fairer and more sustainable food system.
In September of the same year, Massimo Bottura was named Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), on the occasion of the inauguration of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. The appointment is a recognition of the humanitarian work carried out through Food for Soul, Tortellante, and the ongoing commitment to fighting global food waste.
In June 2021, Massimo Bottura reopened the restaurant "Cavallino" in partnership with Ferrari and architect designer India Mahdavi, to give new luster to an iconic place that represents the history of Ferrari and Emilian cuisine. It is led by Modenese Chef Riccardo Forapani, who was in the brigade at "Osteria Francescana" for 13 years.
In 2023, Massimo received a series of awards, including the No Waste Award from Identità Golose, the Cultura 2023 Award, established by Confartigianato Emilia Romagna, the McKim Medal 2023 from the American Academy in Rome, and finally the Farnèse d'Or pour la Culture, promoted by the CCI France Italie.
In the same year, Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore received the Cultural Diplomacy Award from the Consulate General of the United States of America.
In addition to catering, Massimo Bottura has dedicated more than twenty years to the production of PGI balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil with his Villa Manodori line.
