A chef's life

With my father taking me by the hand

I have been quite lucky in my life, but the two major ones have been to be born in the best land in the world, Tuscany, and to have had a loving and caring father that always brought me with him when I was small, to know it all, from one hill to the other, from a wine cellar to a restaurant, from a friend to a relative, in the harvesting times, when it was so hot in the summer, in the small clubhouses looking at the elders playing cards, breathing the smell of silence, that only here on our hills can be perceived, in the summer. My father was purchasing and selling wine, I went everywhere with him, smiling and learning to love my land. Meanwhile I was looking for myself.

Ah, my family!

My first times in the kitchen happened with my family, while my mother was wisely preparing the flour on the chopping board and counted the eggs, while my sisters were chatting around trying to be of help and collecting precious ingredients. I was observing and meanwhile, slowly, began coking by myself, much earlier than attending the hotel and catering school. I was coking for myself, then for my friends, and finally – one step after the other – understood my vocation. Everybody is born to fulfil something: I was born to be a chef.

You are born a Chef, you will become a chef

After having attended the hotel school, when I was very young, I grabbed my back pack and went around the world: Australia, South-America, Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. I wanted to learn, know things, gain "experience". Most of all I was intrigued by other people coking experiences, or to know the rhythm of the greatest foreign restaurants; I was curious to under stand how much our cuisine was appreciated abroad, I wanted to observe, learn, experience, study languages. Meanwhile, whenever I came back, I went working in the best places in Florence, never forgetting my roots, where did I come from, my cultural heritage.

Tuscany a caring mother

There has never been a moment, in these 15 years of experience around the world, when I forgot my land, who I am and where I came from. I owe everything to Tuscany: my blood, my character, my talent, my inner joy, all the long cultural heritage that since the Middle Age proceeds unbroken up to our times, that tradition that made Lorenzo de' Medici say that everyone was welcome in Florence, as far as he would bring something good for the community. From this century long tradition of trade, mixture, beauty, grace, uplift that I too come from. Bringing Tuscany to the world means to me to spread that richness and culture of which myself, though my dishes, am a bearer.

Duccio in the world

My work as a chef runs through many a ways, out of my personal decision: since I wanted to keep my roots quite steady, I often cook Tuscany, at restaurants, agritourism, relais and cookery schools. However, due to my character and as a mission, much often I go abroad, to attend culinary events, at some restaurants and private residences. I love travelling and every new country and culture for me are precious discoveries. I fluently speak English and Portuguese and I am happy and proud to be able to communicate with my guests with words too, besides with my cuisine. What do I carry around in the world? The luxury of being a tuscan. The tradition of Florence Renaissance which is also encompassed in eating and drinking well.

Here you can see where I cook, in Tuscany and in the world.

My experiences and training

A bit of my curriculum!

2017 through now - Osteria di Passignano -* Michelin Training and cookery school manager - Abroad catering events manager
2016-2017 - Severino Hospitality
Motorcycle GP Chef for Team SkyRacingVr46
2012-2018 – Professional School Cordon Bleu - Firenze - Teacher
2015-2016 - Chocolaterie Vitali - Firenze
2012-2015 - Restaurant Oliviero - Firenze
2011-2012 - Rust Tasting Restaurant - Oslo, Norway
2011 - Villa Mangiacane - San Casciano Val di Pesa
2010 - Ruffino - Oslo, Norway
2009 - Skotel, Tuapo - New Zealand
2009 - Cavalli Club - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2008-2009 - Antica Posta, Atlanta - USA
2008 - Toscani Bistrot, San Casciano Val di Pesa
2007-2008 - Dunk Island Resort, Queensland - Australia
2005-2007 - Osteria di Passignano -* Michelin
2004 - Ristorante Cantinetta di Passignano
2004 - Golf Club - Firenze
2001-2003 - Restaurant Antica Posta - San Casciano Val di Pesa
2002-2003 - Restaurant Tenda Rossa - **Michelin

Some of my dishes (oh please, take a look!)

The main quality of my dishes is that they taste good and are unique. The second quality of my dishes is that they look good, pleasant to the eyes, sorted and harmonious. Despite the fact that I love an original presentation, I am quite strict in the selection of the ingredients and in the combination of the dishes for my menus. I am a traditional Tuscan chef, but love experimenting as well and, often, in my trips I did venture using raw materials and local spices. But I always come back home, o the recipes of my Tuscany. Here are some pictures of what I cook (clicking on them they will enlarge!): they have all strictly been created and photographed by myself, during events, dinners, show cooking in Tuscany and all over the world. This is what I can do. As well as many other things.