Chef Gualtiero Marchesi

Born in 1930 in Milan his parents ran a hotel and restaurant "L'Albergo del Mercato" in Via Bezzecca. Two of his relatives, Luigi Ghisoni, who had been a chef at the Ritz, Madeira before he joined Marchesi's father running the business, and Domenico Bergamaschi, chef at Albergo del Mercato, were major influences on Gualtiero. Gualtiero is an accomplished musician and follower of music. Through this he met his wife a piano soloist and daughter of a famous soprano. Career : At 17 he left school to work at the Hotel Klum in St. Moritz. He then studied at a hotel school in Lucerne before returning to work at Albergo del Mercato. Gualtiero then worked at the “Ledoyen” in Paris, "Le Chapeau Rouge” in Dijon and “Troigros” in Roanne. On his return to Milan, he opened a small hotel with his parents, which he ran until 1977. He then opened his first restaurant on Via Bonvesin de la Riva in Milan. Within a year he earned his first Michelin star, with another following the next year. It took another seven years, but then he eventually won the distinction of a third Michelin star – the first chef in Italy to do so. In September 1993, Marchesi moved out of Milan to Franciacorta, between Bergamo and Brescia. He opened the Ristorante di Erbusco in the Albereta Hotel where his vision of global cuisine took root and flourished. His restaurant Gualtiero Marchesi di San Pietro all'Orto in Milan, opened in 1998 and is a mix of traditional cooking and modern technology. It is also a cooking academy. He opened a restaurant in Paris in 2001. In January 2001, he opened Ostaria dell’Orso, the oldest restaurant in Rome, located in a palace dating back to 1400 AD. In 2004 he helped launch ALMA, the International School of Italian Cuisine. He was also a founder member of Euro-Toques International, the association of European chefs in 1986, the year he became a "Cavaliere della Republica" (knight of the Italian republic). In 1993, he moved to the hills of Erbusco, where he spends most of his time today. Awards : 1986 Ambrogino d’Oro 1989 Personnalité de l’année for gastronomy 1990 Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres 1991 Commendatore della Repubblica 1999 Longobardo d’Oro The Laurea Honoris Causa in Food Science from the Universitas Sancti Cyrilli in Rome Grand Prix ‘Memoire et Gratitude’, awarded by the International Academy of Gatronomy. First Italian chef to win three Michelin stars (first in 1985). Recipient of the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants Lifetime Achievement award 2008.