Riccardo Monco is the executive chef and co-owner of Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence’s only three-Michelin-star restaurant and one of the most iconic fine-dining destinations in Italy. Over three decades he has helped make Pinchiorri a benchmark of Italian and Tuscan gastronomy, cooking with technical precision and a deep respect for tradition.
Milan-born but long a Florentine, Monco reworks Tuscan and Italian classics through a modern, personal lens, in a restaurant famous as much for its legendary wine cellar as its cuisine.
TL;DR
- Italian chef, executive chef and co-owner of Enoteca Pinchiorri
- Florence’s only three-Michelin-star restaurant
- Pinchiorri has held three stars since 2004
- Monco has cooked there for around 30 years
- Known for modern reworkings of Tuscan and Italian tradition
Riccardo Monco key facts
| Origin | Born in Milan, based in Florence |
| Restaurant | Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence (3 Michelin stars) |
| Three stars since | 2004 |
| At Pinchiorri since | 1993 |
| Known for | Modern Tuscan and Italian cuisine |
Three decades at Pinchiorri
Riccardo Monco’s adventure at Enoteca Pinchiorri began in 1993, marking the start of a golden era for the celebrated Florentine restaurant. Under his guidance, and that of his colleague Italo Bassi, Pinchiorri regained its prestigious third Michelin star in 2004 – a status it has held ever since, making it the only three-star restaurant in Florence.
A Florentine institution
Enoteca Pinchiorri is one of the most iconic fine-dining destinations in Italy, famous for its extraordinary wine cellar as well as its cuisine. As executive chef Monco has spent some thirty years perfecting his craft there, and more recently became co-owner alongside the restaurant’s founders and management – a sign of his central role in the house’s continued success.
A modern Tuscan lens
Monco’s cooking is rooted in substance, drawing on Tuscan and broader Italian traditions but reworking them through a modern, personal lens. His food impresses not only for its technical execution but for the way it reconnects diners with the simple joy of savouring someone else’s delicious creations – refined yet generous, precise yet full of feeling.
Signature style
Monco’s style balances rigour with warmth. He builds his cuisine on the finest Tuscan and Italian produce and traditions, refining them with modern technique and a strong personal signature. At one of the most storied restaurants in Italy, his cooking is elegant, substantial and deeply satisfying – the work of a chef at the height of his craft.
Riccardo Monco in context
Monco is one of Italy’s elite three-star chefs featured on Pickup Table 4, alongside Mauro Uliassi and celebrated Italian names such as Gualtiero Marchesi.
Follow Riccardo Monco
Enoteca Pinchiorri – official site
Riccardo Monco FAQ
Who is Riccardo Monco?
The executive chef and co-owner of Enoteca Pinchiorri, Florence’s only three-star restaurant.
How many Michelin stars does it have?
Three, held since 2004.
How long has he cooked there?
Around thirty years, since 1993.
What is Enoteca Pinchiorri famous for?
Its cuisine and its legendary wine cellar.
What is his style?
Modern reworkings of Tuscan and Italian tradition.
