Gualtiero Marchesi was the father of modern Italian cuisine and the first Italian chef ever to win three Michelin stars. A visionary who married cooking with art, music and culture, he transformed Italian gastronomy and inspired a whole generation of chefs, from Carlo Cracco to Massimo Bottura. He died in 2017, leaving one of the most important legacies in the history of European cooking.
Creator of iconic dishes such as the open raviolo and gold-leaf saffron risotto, Marchesi opened Italian cuisine to new ideas while celebrating its finest traditions.
TL;DR
- Italian chef (1930-2017), father of modern Italian cuisine
- The first Italian chef to earn three Michelin stars
- Opened his first Milan restaurant in 1977; third star in 1985
- Creator of dishes such as the open raviolo and gold saffron risotto
- Mentor to chefs including Carlo Cracco and Andrea Berton
Gualtiero Marchesi key facts
| Born | 19 March 1930, Milan |
| Died | 26 December 2017 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Known for | First Italian three-Michelin-star chef |
| Signature | Open raviolo; gold saffron risotto |
A revolutionary in Milan
Gualtiero Marchesi opened his first restaurant on Via Bonvesin de la Riva in Milan in 1977. Within a year it earned its first Michelin star, with a second following the next year, and in 1985 it became the first Italian restaurant ever to receive three Michelin stars – a landmark moment for the country’s cuisine, and possibly the first three-star award to a non-French chef.
Founder of modern Italian cuisine
Marchesi is widely credited with founding modern Italian cuisine, or ‘nouvelle cuisine italiana’. His marriage of art and cooking, and his openness to inspiration from music, culture, landscape and foreign food cultures, blazed a trail for the chefs who followed. He created now-iconic dishes such as the raviolo aperto – an open, deconstructed ravioli – and riso oro e zafferano, the Milanese saffron risotto topped with gold leaf.
A mentor and provocateur
Many of Italy’s most prominent chefs worked in Marchesi’s kitchens, including Carlo Cracco, Davide Oldani and Andrea Berton. Never afraid of controversy, in 2008 he publicly denounced the Michelin scoring system and ‘returned’ his stars, challenging the guide’s methods – a characteristically bold gesture from a chef who always thought for himself.
Signature style
Marchesi’s style combined rigorous technique with an artist’s sensibility. He pared dishes back to their essence, treated the plate almost as a canvas, and drew freely on ideas from beyond the kitchen. His influence on Italian – and world – gastronomy is difficult to overstate, and his ideas continue to shape how chefs cook today.
Gualtiero Marchesi in context
Marchesi is the founding figure of modern Italian cuisine featured on Pickup Table 4, and mentored chefs such as Andrea Berton, while his pastry chef was Ernst Knam.
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Gualtiero Marchesi on Wikipedia
Gualtiero Marchesi FAQ
Who was Gualtiero Marchesi?
An Italian chef regarded as the father of modern Italian cuisine.
Why is he so important?
He was the first Italian chef to win three Michelin stars, in 1985.
What dishes is he known for?
The open raviolo and the gold-leaf saffron risotto.
Who did he mentor?
Chefs including Carlo Cracco, Davide Oldani and Andrea Berton.
When did he die?
In December 2017.
