Massimo Bottura

Italian chef and owner of Osteria Francescana in Modena

Biography

Massimo Bottura (born 30 September 1962 in Modena) is an Italian chef, gastronome and entrepreneur, and one of the most influential figures in contemporary cooking. He owns Osteria Francescana, a restaurant in Modena that has held three Michelin stars and ranked first on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2016 and 2018. His importance lies in bringing the traditions of Emilia into conversation with contemporary art and design without losing their roots.

Born and raised in Modena, he became interested in cooking by watching his mother, grandmother and aunt prepare meals at home. He enrolled in law at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia but left his studies in 1986 to join the family business and take over Trattoria del Campazzo near Nonantola, where he studied Emilian cooking with the support of Lidia Cristoni. He also trained in French technique with Georges Coigny. In 1994 he worked for a period at Alain Ducasse's Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo. The following year he opened Osteria Francescana in the historic centre of Modena, turning a traditional trattoria into a restaurant built around a personal vision. Later, at El Bulli, Ferran Adrià introduced him to the basics of molecular cuisine.

His work has since extended beyond Modena through projects such as Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura in Florence and Torno Subito in Dubai and other cities. Since 2015 he has promoted Food for Soul, the foundation behind the Refettorios, community dining rooms that address food waste and social isolation. He continues to lead Osteria Francescana and these projects, and his name is associated with the idea that a kitchen can also be a space for culture and solidarity.

Key contributions

• Osteria Francescana, a Modena restaurant that combines Emilian tradition with contemporary creativity.
• La cucina della memoria, a reinterpretation of classic Italian dishes using avant-garde techniques that questions established canons.
• Refettorio Ambrosiano, a community kitchen created in Milan in 2015 that uses surplus food.
• Food for Soul, a cultural foundation that has extended the Refettorio model around the world.
• Bread is Gold (Il Pane è Oro), a book of recipes and ideas for using bread and reducing waste.