Peppe Guida, proudly a self-taught chef, earned the MICHELIN Star at "Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa," which he runs with his two children. An author of several books, a TV personality, and a cooking instructor on YouTube, he also won the Gambero Rosso award for the best digital communication.
Peppe Guida, born in 1965, grew up in Vico Equense, in the house that now houses "Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa." Despite being born into a family of artists, at the age of 22, Peppe was unaware of his future as a celebrated chef and worked with his brother at a gas station, passionate only about football and the sea.
Everything changed when his friend Antonio Esposito moved to London, where he worked as a dishwasher and learned the art of pizza-making, then moved to a restaurant in Bermuda as a pizza chef. After a few months, Antonio called Peppe and convinced him to join him: "Come and cook spaghetti like only you can," he said. With enthusiasm and a few cooking magazines in hand, Peppe embarked on his first great adventure. Thus, in the 1990s, he realized that cooking was his path and that pasta was one of his passions.
Upon returning to Italy, he worked in several hotels and restaurants along the Sorrento and Amalfi Coasts, but his independent nature soon manifested, leading him to decide to go his own way.
With his mother's permission, who was a professional cook, Peppe transformed the ground floor where he grew up, giving life to his own business. He wanted to bring back his family's stories through food, reinterpreting home-cooked dishes in a lighter and more modern way while preserving tradition.
Thus, in 1994, "Antica Osteria Nonna Rosa" was born, initially serving simple takeaway dishes, but over time, it transformed into an elegant and refined place while still maintaining a welcoming atmosphere and a homely feeling that puts customers at ease. In 2007, recognition for his talent, dedication, and ambition he gained the MICHELIN Star.
Peppe then started the catering business "Nonna Rosa Gourmandise," through which he also provides consultations. In 2010, he purchased a ruin with nearly 1 hectare of land: the perfect agricultural estate to cultivate vegetables, fruits, and olives to supply the restaurant and an online shop.
Over time, the ruin transformed into a cozy bed & breakfast and a well-tended restaurant dedicated to celebrating Campanian cuisine: "Villa Rosa, La casa di Lella," named in honor of Peppe's wife, who unfortunately passed away in 2019.
In 2015, thanks to a meeting with Giuseppe Di Martino from "Pastificio dei Campi," Peppe participated in "Bolle butta la pasta," a show on Gambero Rosso, which led to a lasting collaboration through which the chef published four books: "Questa Terra è La mia Terra," "Le Ricette di Casa Mia," "Del pane non butto via niente," and "Il mio mondo vegetale."
Peppe also holds online cooking video lessons on YouTube and won the Gambero Rosso award for the best digital communication in 2021.
"Hands in the earth and eyes towards the sea": this is Peppe's culinary philosophy. He has always sought to blend haute cuisine with the simplicity of traditional recipes, and today, in the restaurants that so well embody his vision, the chef is supported by his son Francesco, a master in leavening, and his daughter Rossella, a sommelier.
