When I was born
in the late seventies,

Italian cuisine was undergoing a transformation: shedding its old skin to give way to what would undeniably come to be known as

"contemporary Italian cuisine".

I am not a child of contemporary Italian cuisine, but its peer:

we grew up together.
Breaking down
an eggplant to reconstruct it anew,

capturing the tangy pleasure of lime within fresh pasta, distilling saffron risotto into a savory meringue:

every day, chefs across the world create dishes
their mentors could never have imagined,
yet none of these would be possible

without the culinary philosophy and wisdom
of those who came before them.

After all, evolution
is always the next step,
inevitably stitched to the step
that preceded it.

To me, the connection between the past and the present  is like a wave reaching the shore,
flowing from the vast and restless majesty of the sea:

just as its embrace upon the shore grows wider,
it is already receding, and behind it—inevitably

another wave is on its way, one that no one
has encountered before.

One moves forward by stepping back.

When she cooked, Aunt Emilia, who took care of me, would tie me to her waist.

I remember her, I remember the pots:

I was almost four years old, and she would still hold me close to her chest with a kitchen towel, like a sling.

It wasn’t comfortable, believe me, but the sound of her heartbeat reassured me.

And indeed,

as a budding cook, I was on the front line.
I took the splashes of sauces, the heat from the oven, but I could see everything from just the right height.
Un Piatto
I think-I try-I taste,
The result doesn’t
convince me-
I adjust-I start again.

I don’t count mistakes, nor do I count tastings.

The sensations on the palate set ideas spinning in my mind like tadpoles:

they must be tested, they must be dared, they must be seized as they whirl through the world of ideas.

Because the guest seeks concrete answers.

And they find them through the hands, precisely.

Hands are the only irreplaceable tool a chef has to offer their guests a taste of the joy of living, the very joy that food can bring.

Hands must touch, wash, peel, grasp.
Arrange.
Elevate.

They soothe and refine the sometimes tumultuous journey of raw ingredients, from nature to plate.

Frenetic, that’s how it feels when daily life takes over:

when a restaurant gears up for lunch and dinner service.

That’s when the rhythm shifts, surges, explodes, stepping into another dimension where, like the negative of a photograph, black and white stand out in stark contrast:

the first guests are taking their seats, and our small world has split in two

the inferno of the kitchen and the paradise of gourmets in the dining room.

‍

1979 - 2005

Born in Castelmartini, a small town in the province of Pistoia, Enrico Bartolini graduates from the “F. Martini” Hospitality Training Institute in Montecatini Terme.

His passion for haute cuisine leads him to refine his skills abroad, working with renowned chefs such as Paolo Petrini in Paris and Mark Page in London.

Returning to Italy, he completes his training under Massimiliano Alajmo.

2008

Awarded the special “Young Talent of the Year” prize by L’Espresso Guide and Gambero Rosso.

2009

At just 29 years old, he earns his first Michelin star with “Le Robinie” restaurant.

‍

2010

His continuous drive for professional growth leads him to take on a new challenge: he leaves Oltrepò Pavese to head “Devero Ristorante” and “Dodici24 Quick Restaurant”, housed within the Devero Hotel in Cavenago Brianza, near Milan.

2012

He earns his second Michelin star along with prestigious accolades such as “Tre Cappelli” from L’Espresso and “Tre Forchette” from Gambero Rosso, further solidifying his status in the world of haute cuisine.

2015

Named Brand Ambassador for EXPO 2015, representing Italian culinary excellence.  This role strengthens his bond with Milan, an international hub of design, fashion, and after EXPO 2015, haute cuisine, further elevating Italy’s global influence.

2016

A landmark year: he opens “Ristorante Enrico Bartolini” on the third floor of MUDEC – Museum of Cultures in Milan, while simultaneously launching “Casual “restaurant in Bergamo. He also takes over the culinary direction at “L’Andana”, an exclusive resort in Castiglione della Pescaia, overseeing both “La Villa” restaurant and “La Trattoria Enrico Bartolini”. That same year, he makes his debut in Venice with “Glam” reastaurant, located within Palazzo Venart, a luxury hotel overlooking the Grand Canal. In a historic achievement, he is awarded four Michelin stars in a single year, an unprecedented record in the history of the Michelin guide, marking his rise to the highest ranks of Italian gastronomy.

2017

“Glam” restaurant in Venice is awarded its first Michelin star, bringing Bartolini’s total to five Michelin stars and further cementing his status among the world’s leading chefs.

2019

The Michelin Guide awards one star to “Locanda del Sant’Uffizio”, the fine dining restaurant inside Relais Sant’Uffizio in Monferrato, which Bartolini opens just a year earlier.

2020

Ristorante “Enrico Bartolini at MUDEC” reaches the highest recognition in gastronomy, earning three Michelin stars and bringing Milan back among the three-starred cities after 25 years.

In the same year, “Glam” restaurant in Venice is awarded its second Michelin star, confirming its status as a must-visit destination in the Italian gourmet scene.

2021

“Osteria Poggio Rosso” earns its first Michelin star, while Bartolini sets a new record: with nine stars, he becomes the most Michelin-starred chef in Italy.

2022

The 2022 Michelin Guide crowns Bartolini with 12 stars, placing him among the elite of world gastronomy.

“Locanda del Sant’Uffizio” secures its second Michelin star, while two new restaurants join the Michelin constellation: “Anima”, the fine dining restaurant at Milano Verticale, and “Il Fuoco Sacro”, the gourmet restaurant at Petra Segreta Resort & Spa.

This achievement confirms Enrico Bartolini as the most Michelin-starred chef in Italy, further strengthening his legacy in the world of haute cuisine.

The same year, he also receives the Michelin Mentor Chef Award, a prestigious recognition granted for his outstanding professional achievements and his ability to inspire new generations of talent in haute cuisine.

2023

“Bluh Furore” restaurant earns its first Michelin star, adding another prestigious milestone to Bartolini’s extraordinary career.

2024

Enrico Bartolini reaffirms his status as the most Michelin-starred chef in Italy’s history: “Villa Elena” earns its second Michelin star, bringing his total to 14 stars.

With the confirmation of all previous stars, he solidifies his position as the second most Michelin-starred chef in the world and the most awarded Italian chef in history—a legendary figure in the global gastronomic landscape.

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