Private Italian chef · In your own kitchen

The Italian dinner you love, cooked the Italian way.

I come to your home, bring the ingredients, cook everything fresh in front of you and leave the kitchen clean. Lasagna, carbonara, parmigiana, tiramisu — the dishes you already know, made the way they are really made in Italy.

Book a dinner See the menu

Simple from start to finish

How it works

You enjoy the evening with your guests. Everything else is taken care of.

Tell me the plan

Date, number of guests, allergies and the dishes you have in mind. We shape the menu together.

I shop fresh

I buy the ingredients for your menu, so everything on the table is picked for your dinner.

I cook at your home

I arrive, set up in your kitchen and cook course by course while you relax with your guests.

I clean up

When dinner is over, the kitchen goes back to the way I found it. No dishes for you.

American favorites · Italian recipes

Dishes you know, made the Italian way

These are the Italian dishes Americans ask for most. On each card you can see what changes when we cook it the way an Italian family would.

Starters

Bruschetta

In America: Toasted bread with chopped tomatoes

Bruschetta al pomodoroCountry bread grilled over a flame, rubbed with garlic, then ripe tomatoes, basil and good olive oil. Served warm, never soggy.

Starters

Caprese Salad

In America: Tomato and mozzarella, often with balsamic

Insalata capreseOnly three flavors: tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil, with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. No balsamic glaze.

Starters

Arancini

In America: Fried rice balls

Arancini sicilianiSaffron risotto around a ragù and mozzarella heart, breaded and fried until golden. A Sicilian street-food classic.

Pasta

Spaghetti and Meatballs

In America: Meatballs buried in spaghetti and red sauce

Pasta al pomodoro e polpetteIn Italy the pasta comes first, dressed with a light tomato sauce, and the small tender polpette follow as the second course.

Pasta

Fettuccine Alfredo

In America: Heavy cream, butter, garlic and chicken

Fettuccine al burro e ParmigianoThe original has no cream and no chicken: butter, aged Parmigiano Reggiano and a splash of pasta water, mixed until silky.

Pasta

Spaghetti Carbonara

In America: Cream, bacon and peas

Spaghetti alla carbonaraEgg yolks, Pecorino Romano, black pepper and crisp guanciale. The sauce is made off the heat, without any cream.

Pasta

Lasagna

In America: Ricotta, ground beef and lots of mozzarella

Lasagne alla bologneseFresh egg pasta layered with slow-cooked ragù, béchamel and Parmigiano. Lighter, creamier and baked until the top is golden.

Pasta

Cacio e Pepe

In America: Not yet on many American menus

Cacio e pepeRoman simplicity: Pecorino Romano, black pepper and the starchy water of the pasta. Three ingredients, one perfect sauce.

Pasta

Gnocchi

In America: Often heavy and chewy

Gnocchi di patateMade by hand with potatoes cooked in their skins, so they stay light and soft. Served with butter and sage or a fresh tomato sauce.

Pasta

Risotto

In America: Creamy rice, sometimes with cream

Risotto alla milaneseCarnaroli rice toasted, then cooked slowly with broth, stirred and finished with butter and Parmigiano. The creaminess comes from the rice.

Mains

Chicken Parmesan

In America: Breaded chicken, tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, served on spaghetti

Parmigiana di melanzaneThe Italian ancestor of this dish: layers of fried eggplant, tomato, basil, mozzarella and Parmigiano, baked in the oven.

Mains

Chicken Marsala

In America: Chicken with mushrooms in a sweet wine sauce

Scaloppine al MarsalaThin slices of tender meat, floured and seared, finished with real Marsala wine and butter for a glossy, balanced sauce.

Mains

Chicken Piccata

In America: Chicken with lemon and capers

Piccata al limoneThin scaloppine, a quick sear, then lemon, butter and capers in the same pan. Bright, fast and fresh.

Mains

Shrimp Scampi

In America: Shrimp in garlic butter over pasta

Scampi all’italianaGulf shrimp with garlic, white wine, olive oil and parsley, served as a main course with good bread to catch the sauce.

Mains

Osso Buco

In America: Braised veal shank

Ossobuco alla milaneseVeal shank braised slowly in white wine and broth until it falls off the bone. Served with saffron risotto and gremolata.

Pizza

In America: Thick crust, lots of cheese and toppings

Pizza napoletanaDough left to rise slowly, a soft crust with a puffed edge, and a short list of toppings. Margherita, Marinara, or the combination you love.

Desserts

Tiramisu

In America: Layers of cake, cream and cocoa

TiramisùLadyfingers dipped in espresso, whipped mascarpone and egg cream, cocoa on top. Made the day before so the flavors settle.

Desserts

Cannoli

In America: Crispy shells with sweet cream

Cannoli sicilianiShells filled to order with sweet sheep’s-milk ricotta, chocolate chips and candied orange. Crisp on the outside, creamy inside.

Desserts

Panna Cotta

In America: Creamy vanilla pudding

Panna cotta ai frutti di boscoCooked cream, just set, trembling on the plate and topped with fresh berries. A light finish to a rich dinner.

The difference

What “the Italian way” means

Few ingredients, good ones

A real Italian dish rarely has more than a handful of ingredients. That is why each one has to be excellent.

Pasta is the star

Pasta is cooked until al dente and finished in the pan with the sauce, never drowned in it.

The right portion, in the right order

Antipasto, primo, secondo, dolce: a dinner that unfolds in courses, the way it does at an Italian table.

Let’s plan your dinner

Book a chef for your table

Birthdays, anniversaries, family dinners, a quiet evening for two or a party with friends. Tell me what you have in mind and I will come back to you with a proposed menu.