Michele Casadei Massari is a chef, entrepreneur and representative of Italian food culture in the United States, as well as the CEO, founder and executive of Lucciola, a fine dining restaurant in NYC.
Photo credits: Azzurra Primavera
Born in Riccione in 1975 and raised in Bologna, Michele Casadei Massari decided to follow his true vocation after graduating from medical school. This change of direction turned into a successful career.
In 2009, he moved to New York where he began to build his entrepreneurial dream. In 2017, together with his partner Alberto Ghezzi, he founded Lucciola, an intimate restaurant with only 18 seats, designed to offer an out-of-the-box dining experience. From the beginning, stood out for its refined approach and maniacal attention to the quality of its raw materials. Over time, the eatery evolved to offer exclusively tasting menus with prices ranging from $159 to $329 per person. One of the most iconic courses is the "no menu" tasting, in which the chef determines the dishes based on the availability of ingredients, leaving the customer to choose only the number of courses. This formula allows the chef to fully express his creativity and his connection with the season.
The wine list, awarded "Two Glasses" by Wine Spectator in 2023 and 2024, reflects the pursuit of excellence that characterizes the business. The highest recognition came in 2023, when the New York Restaurant Association named it The Best Restaurant in New York, consecrating it as one of the city's top dining destinations.
At the same time, Michele is an influential consultant and ambassador for prestigious brands. He is the brand ambassador for the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium for the U.S. market, culinary director for Accademia Felicetti, and works with Ferrari North America as executive event chef.
He is also co-founder and board advisor of I Wonder Pictures, one of the most important film distribution companies in Italy, known for bringing successful films such as "Everything Everywhere All At Once," "The Whale" and "The Zone of Interest" to cinemas.
Michele has been able to integrate his passion for food, film and art through the Casa I Wonder project, curating unique itineraries for the world's most important film festivals, from the Venice Biennale to the Sundance Film Festival, creating exclusive events for Oscar-winning directors, actors and producers.
His style is profoundly Italian, with a minimalist philosophy: his vision makes him a point of reference in the international debate: he is a columnist for newspapers such as Il Sole 24 Ore, a frequent guest on RAI Italia and the voice of Italian radio programs such as Radio 2.
