After contributing to the achievement of the third MICHELIN Star and being nominated as the world's best restaurant for "Osteria Francescana," Riccardo Forapani has finally taken the reins of a kitchen, managing the "Cavallino" in Maranello.
Born in 1985 in Mirandola, in the province of Modena, Riccardo Forapani grew up surrounded by a love for cooking, especially thanks to his mother, a cook from Modena. Despite his father, a mechanic, dreaming of a future in the Ferrari world for him, Riccardo was clear about his goal: to become a great culinary professional. He attended the Hotel Institute and, while still a student, started working in a seafood restaurant.
The opportunity to get closer to his goal of becoming a chef presented itself in 2007 when Riccardo, just twenty years old but already talented, joined the kitchen of one of the best restaurants in the world.
Riccardo made his professional debut at "Osteria Francescana," earning a coveted MICHELIN Star, and becoming part of a close-knit team, a second family, where he grew and gained knowledge and experience, thanks also to the brigade's travels around Italy and the world.
Over the years spent at "Osteria Francescana," Riccardo became a cornerstone of the team, contributing to the achievement of numerous prestigious awards, including the third MICHELIN Star in 2011 and the first place at the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2016 and 2018.
Thirteen years after starting his adventure with Bottura, a turning point came for Riccardo.
In 2020, the project of the restaurant "Cavallino" began to take shape, and while the Iranian-French architect India Mahdavi was in charge of restyling the 1950s premises, creating a vibrant chromatic harmony in the historic "Ferrari palette," Massimo Bottura chose who to entrust with the command of the new brigade. In 2021, "Cavallino" opened for business, and Riccardo took the reins of the kitchen.
The style of the new chef perfectly matches the restaurant's new concept, located in the heart of Maranello, combining the culinary traditions of Emilia with various cultural influences derived from those instructive journeys with the Francescana brigade.
The restaurant brings together Riccardo's two great passions: cooking and cars, which have accompanied him since childhood and now serve as inspiration for some of his most surprising creations. The young professional manages to create a unique culinary experience for his guests.
Despite the newfound independence, Riccardo continues to see Massimo Bottura as a reference point and an example to follow. In fact, the young chef has ambitious plans for the future of "Cavallino."
