Ciccio Sultano is the Italian chef widely recognised as one of the leading figures in modern Sicilian gastronomy and the chef-proprietor of two-Michelin-star Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla, Sicily. Born 1969 in Gela, Sicily, Italy, Sultano grew up in Sicily and trained at multiple Italian and international restaurants before opening Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla in 2000. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2003 and its second Michelin star in 2006, and Sultano has continued as chef-proprietor across more than two decades of Sicilian fine-dining operation.
Sultano’s 2025-2026 work continues at Ristorante Duomo, which has retained its two Michelin stars in the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Italy Michelin Guide. Following an extensive renovation period the restaurant reopened on 17 March 2026, with the kitchen continuing the signature Sicilian-Mediterranean approach featuring bergamotto, limone and citricality alongside Sicilian historical-cuisine references. The Paolo Marchi feature article in early 2026 spotlighted Sultano’s distinctive longevity formula and Sicilian gastronomic philosophy.
TL;DR
- Italian Sicilian chef born 1969 in Gela, Sicily, Italy
- Opened Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla 2000
- First Michelin star 2003; second Michelin star 2006
- Two Michelin stars retained 2025 and 2026 Italy Michelin Guide
- Signature: Sicilian-Mediterranean cuisine with bergamotto and citricality
- 2026: Restaurant reopens 17 March after extensive renovation
Ciccio Sultano key facts
| Born | 1969, Gela, Sicily, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian (Sicilian) |
| Restaurant | Ristorante Duomo, Ragusa Ibla, Sicily (since 2000) |
| Michelin status | Two Michelin stars (since 2006) |
| Style | Sicilian-Mediterranean cuisine, bergamotto and citricality |
| Other ventures | I Banchi Ragusa Ibla; consulting projects |
| 2026 highlight | Restaurant reopens 17 March after renovation |
Early life and training of Ciccio Sultano
Sultano was born in 1969 in Gela, on the southern Sicilian coast of Italy. He grew up in Sicily and developed his culinary instincts through Sicilian family-cookery traditions before pursuing formal training. The childhood in Sicilian home cooking and the strong regional ingredient culture became the formative influence on his subsequent career across more than two decades of Sicilian fine-dining operation.
Through the 1980s and 1990s Sultano trained at multiple Italian and international restaurants, gaining classical Italian and continental European technique alongside the Sicilian foundation. The training period prepared him for his own chef-proprietor role at Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla, which he opened in 2000.
Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla under Sultano earned its first Michelin star in 2003, three years after opening, and its second Michelin star in 2006. Sultano has continued as chef-proprietor across more than 25 years of Sicilian fine-dining operation, and the restaurant has held two Michelin stars continuously since 2006, making it one of the longest-running two-Michelin-star Sicilian restaurants of the past two decades.
Ciccio Sultano career timeline
- 1969: Born in Gela, Sicily, Italy
- 1980s-1990s: Training at Italian and international restaurants
- 2000: Opens Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla, Sicily
- 2003: First Michelin star at Ristorante Duomo
- 2006: Second Michelin star at Ristorante Duomo
- 2010s: Becomes recognised as leading figure in modern Sicilian gastronomy
- 2014: Culinary Institute of America Sicily feature
- 2017: Opens I Banchi in Ragusa Ibla as casual companion to Duomo
- 2019: Staff Canteen feature on Ristorante Duomo
- 2020-2022: Restaurant continues operations through Covid-19 pandemic
- 2024: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2024
- 2025: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2025
- Late 2025: Restaurant temporarily closes for extensive renovation
- 17 March 2026: Ristorante Duomo reopens after renovation
- 2026: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2026
- 2026: Paolo Marchi feature on Sultano’s longevity and Sicilian philosophy
Ciccio Sultano signature style: Sicilian-Mediterranean cuisine and citricality
Sultano’s central argument, developed across more than 25 years from 2000 onwards, is that traditional Sicilian cookery combined with modern technique and the historical Mediterranean Dominazioni references can anchor a sustained two-Michelin-star restaurant in Ragusa Ibla. The Ristorante Duomo menu under Sultano is widely recognised as one of the most distinctive Sicilian fine-dining menus, anchored in bergamotto, limone, citricality and the layered historical-cuisine references that distinguish modern Sicilian gastronomy.
The second defining element is the multi-format Ragusa Ibla operation. Ristorante Duomo (two Michelin stars) and I Banchi (casual companion since 2017) together represent one of the more substantial Sicilian chef-restaurateur portfolios of the past decade, anchored in the historic Ragusa Ibla town in southeastern Sicily.
The third pillar is the sustained 25-year chef-proprietor role at Ristorante Duomo and the 19-year continuous two-Michelin-star status from 2006 onwards. Within the Italian two-Michelin-star cohort Sultano sits alongside peers including Davide Oldani, Norbert Niederkofler and Enrico Crippa as one of the defining figures in modern Italian regional gastronomy.
Notable Ciccio Sultano work
Several Sultano projects have become reference points in modern Sicilian gastronomy. Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla (since 2000, two Michelin stars since 2006) is his defining 25-year operation. I Banchi in Ragusa Ibla (since 2017) is his casual companion venue. The signature bergamotto-limone-cipolla-curry-RAZ-limone-bruciato dish exemplifies his Sicilian-Mediterranean citricality approach. The 2026 17 March reopening following extensive renovation marks his current restaurant milestone, and the Paolo Marchi 2026 feature spotlighted his longevity formula.
Ciccio Sultano awards and recognition
- 2000: Opens Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla
- 2003: First Michelin star at Ristorante Duomo
- 2006: Second Michelin star at Ristorante Duomo
- 2017: Opens I Banchi in Ragusa Ibla
- 2024: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2024
- 2025: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2025
- 17 March 2026: Ristorante Duomo reopens after renovation
- 2026: Two Michelin stars retained Italy Michelin Guide 2026
- 2026: Paolo Marchi feature on longevity and Sicilian philosophy
Ciccio Sultano impact on modern Sicilian gastronomy
Sultano’s most concrete contribution is the 25-year Ristorante Duomo operation in Ragusa Ibla, including 19 years of continuous two-Michelin-star status from 2006 onwards. Few Sicilian chefs have sustained a chef-proprietor role at a single fine-dining restaurant for comparable duration, and Ristorante Duomo continues at the front rank of Sicilian two-star restaurants.
The second contribution is the bergamotto-citricality Sicilian-Mediterranean approach, which has become one of the most-recognised modern Sicilian cuisine signatures. The layered historical-cuisine references that distinguish modern Sicilian gastronomy under Sultano have informed subsequent Sicilian chefs of his generation.
The third contribution is the multi-format Ragusa Ibla operation across Ristorante Duomo and I Banchi. Within the Italian two-Michelin-star cohort Sultano sits alongside peers including Davide Oldani, Norbert Niederkofler and Enrico Crippa as one of the defining figures in modern Italian regional gastronomy.
Ciccio Sultano FAQ
Does Ristorante Duomo still have two Michelin stars?
Yes. Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla retained two Michelin stars in the 2025 and 2026 editions of the Italy Michelin Guide. The restaurant has held two Michelin stars continuously since 2006, more than 19 years, and reopened on 17 March 2026 after extensive renovation.
What is Ristorante Duomo?
Ristorante Duomo is Ciccio Sultano’s two-Michelin-star restaurant in Ragusa Ibla, in southeastern Sicily. The restaurant opened in 2000 and earned two Michelin stars in 2006. The kitchen features a signature Sicilian-Mediterranean approach combining bergamotto, limone and citricality with layered historical-cuisine references.
What is I Banchi?
I Banchi is Ciccio Sultano’s casual companion venue in Ragusa Ibla, opened in 2017. The casual format complements the formal two-Michelin-star Ristorante Duomo, and represents the multi-format Sicilian chef-restaurateur approach that Sultano has built across more than 25 years in Ragusa Ibla.
When did Ristorante Duomo reopen?
17 March 2026. The restaurant temporarily closed in late 2025 for extensive renovation and reopened on 17 March 2026 with two Michelin stars retained in the 2026 Italy Michelin Guide. The renovation marked the restaurant’s first major refurbishment of the 2020s.
What is Sultano’s signature dish?
The bergamotto-limone-cipolla-curry-RAZ-limone-bruciato composition exemplifies Sultano’s Sicilian-Mediterranean citricality approach. The dish combines bergamotto and burnt-lemon notes with curry and RAZ spice references, anchored in Sicilian historical-cuisine traditions and the citricality that distinguishes Sultano’s modern Sicilian cookery.
What is next for Ciccio Sultano
Ristorante Duomo continues with two Michelin stars in Ragusa Ibla through 2026 following the 17 March 2026 reopening. I Banchi continues. The restaurant’s official website (cicciosultano.it) is the best source for current updates.
