Massimo Bottura facts for kids
Massimo Bottura (born September 30, 1962, in Modena, Italy) is a famous Italian chef, food expert, and business owner. He is known for his creative approach to Italian cooking.
Massimo Bottura is the chef and owner of Osteria Francescana, a restaurant in Modena, Italy. This restaurant has earned three Michelin stars, which is a very high honor in the food world. It also has a green Michelin star, which means it's recognized for being sustainable. Osteria Francescana has been named one of the best restaurants globally, even reaching first place in The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in both 2016 and 2018.
In 2014, Massimo Bottura received the White Guide Global Gastronomy Award. This award celebrates people who have made amazing contributions to the world of food.
Massimo Bottura at the World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards in 2012
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| Born | 30 September 1962 Modena, Italy |
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| Cooking style | Italian cuisine, Innovative & Tradition |
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Rating(s)
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Current restaurant(s)
Osteria Francescana*** in Modena, Gucci Osteria* in Florence, Gucci Osteria* in Beverly Hills, Gucci Osteria* in Tokyo, Gucci Osteria in Seoul, Torno Subito in Singapore, Torno Subito in Miami, Franceschetta58 in Modena, Cavallino in Maranello, Al Gatto Verde* at Casa Maria Luigia in Modena, Osteria Francescana at Casa Maria Luigia in Modena.
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Contents
About Massimo Bottura
Early Life and Cooking Journey
Massimo Bottura grew up in Modena. He became interested in cooking at a young age, watching his mother, grandmother, and aunt prepare family meals in the kitchen.
After finishing high school, he started studying law at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. However, in 1986, he decided to stop his studies. Instead, he joined his family's business, where he first worked selling petroleum products.
Becoming a Chef
In the same year, 1986, Massimo took over a restaurant called Trattoria del Campazzo. Here, he learned about traditional Emilian cuisine with the help of Lidia Cristoni, a local cooking expert. Later, he also learned French cooking from Georges Coigny. This training gave him a strong base in both Italian and French cooking styles.
In 1993, he moved to New York and worked in an Italian café. There, he met Lara Gilmore, who would later become his wife. After nine months, he returned to Modena. In 1994, he trained for several months with the famous chef Alain Ducasse at his restaurant "Le Louis XV" in Monte Carlo.
In 1995, he came back to Modena and opened his own restaurant, Osteria Francescana, on March 19.
In 2000, the Spanish chef Ferran Adrià invited Bottura to work in his restaurant "El Bulli" in Spain. There, Massimo learned about molecular cuisine, which is a scientific way of cooking.
Massimo Bottura's restaurant, Osteria Francescana, earned its first Michelin star in 2002. It received a second star in 2006 and a third star in 2012.
More Than Just Stars
In 2011, Massimo opened another restaurant in Modena called "Franceschetta58." While Osteria Francescana is known for its very creative and new Italian dishes, Franceschetta58 offers a more relaxed dining experience. It uses local ingredients in a friendly setting.
In 2015, Massimo Bottura was featured in the first episode of the Netflix documentary series Chef's Table. This show highlights top chefs from around the world.
In October 2016, The New York Times newspaper named him one of The Greats.
In 2018, Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura opened in Florence, Italy. This restaurant combines local traditions with global flavors. It earned its first Michelin Star in 2019. More Gucci Osteria restaurants have opened in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles (2020), Tokyo (2021), and Seoul (2022).
In February 2019, Bottura worked with W Hotels to open Torno Subito in Dubai. In 2024, he opened Torno Subito in Singapore and later in Miami.
In 2019, he was named one of the Time 100 Most Influential People. In May of the same year, he and his wife, Lara Gilmore, opened Casa Maria Luigia. This is a special guest house in an 18th-century building in the Italian countryside. In 2024, Casa Maria Luigia received three Michelin keys, a new award for hotels.
In September 2020, Massimo Bottura became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This happened during the first International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
In June 2021, Massimo Bottura reopened the Cavallino restaurant in partnership with Ferrari. This project aimed to bring new life to a historic place that connects Ferrari's history with Emilia's food traditions.
Besides his restaurants, Massimo Bottura has also been making high-quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil since 1995. His brand is called Villa Manodori.
Since September 21, 2024, he has also been an ambassador for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Osteria Francescana
Massimo Bottura opened Osteria Francescana in the heart of Modena on March 19, 1995.
Today, Osteria Francescana has three Michelin stars, which it has kept since 2012. It has also been ranked as the number one restaurant on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list twice, in 2016 and 2018.
Since 2019, the restaurant has been part of the Best of the Best list. This special category includes all restaurants that have reached the top spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Once a restaurant is in this group, it can no longer be voted on in future lists.
In 2020, Osteria Francescana received the new Michelin Green Star. This award recognizes its strong efforts to fight food waste and promote a fairer and more sustainable food system.
Other Projects
Food for Soul
In 2015, during the Milan Expo 2015, Massimo Bottura worked with Caritas Ambrosiana to create a project called the Refettorio Ambrosiano.
In Brazil, a similar project, Refettorio Gastromotiva, was launched during the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
In 2015, Bottura and his wife founded Food for Soul. This non-profit organization works to fight food waste and social isolation. They do this by creating "Refettorios" around the world, which are community spaces where people can connect over a meal.
To spread awareness, Massimo Bottura published the book Bread is Gold in 2017. This book shares recipes and ideas from chefs who cooked at the Refettorio Ambrosiano. It encourages readers to look at everyday ingredients in new ways. Food for Soul has since started many projects globally, creating places where people can gather and enjoy good food, showing the value of people, places, and food.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Food for Soul's Refettorios continued to help those in need. They launched a fundraising campaign that helped save over 35 tons of leftover food in one month. They also delivered more than 100,000 meals to vulnerable people and healthcare workers.
New Refettorios opened in Mérida and Lima in 2020. Refettorio Harlem opened in New York, and Refettorio San Francisco opened in California. In 2021, Refettorio OzHarvest opened in Sydney, and Refettorio Geneva opened in Switzerland. In 2024, Refettorio Modena will reopen, with more projects planned.
Kitchen Quarantine
In March 2020, when Osteria Francescana had to close temporarily due to the first COVID-19 lockdown, Massimo and his daughter Alexa started "Kitchen Quarantine." This was a series of live broadcasts on Instagram where the Bottura family cooked together every night. The goal was to connect with families worldwide, cook together, and share ideas on how to reduce food waste at home. It was a fun way to bring smiles during a difficult time. The 24th annual Webby Awards honored Massimo Bottura with a 2020 Webby Special Achievement Award as Chef of the Year for this series.
Books by Massimo Bottura
- Aceto balsamico, 2005.
- Pro. Attraverso tradizione e innovazione (with Cicco Sultano), 2006.
- Parmigiano Reggiano, 2006.
- Vieni in Italia con me (Come to Italy with me), 2014. This book shares twenty years of his cooking journey and the story of Osteria Francescana, with pictures, stories, and recipes.
- Il Pane è Oro - ingredienti ordinari per piatti straordinari (Bread is Gold - ordinary ingredients for extraordinary dishes), 2017. This book collects recipes and ideas from chefs who cooked at the Refettorio Ambrosiano, encouraging readers to see common ingredients in a new light.
- Slow Food Fast Cars, 2023. This book is about Casa Maria Luigia, the guest house owned by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore near Modena.
- Books translated into other languages
- (EN) Never trust a skinny Italian chef, 2014
- (FR) Ne jamais faire confiance à un chef italien trop mince, 2015
- (EN) Bread is Gold, 2017
Honorary Degrees and Awards
Honorary Degree in Business Management
On February 7, 2017, the Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna gave Massimo Bottura an honorary degree in Business Management. This recognized how he built a small Italian family business into a globally famous success. The university praised his vision, leadership, and ability to create new ideas while honoring Italian traditions and drawing inspiration from art and music.
Honorary Diploma from the Academy of Fine Arts
On April 23, 2018, the Accademia di belle arti di Carrara (Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara) awarded him an honorary diploma.
Prizes and Awards
- Osteria Francescana received Three Michelin Stars (2012)
- Gucci Osteria Firenze received one Michelin Star (2019)
- Osteria Francescana received Three Michelin Stars and a Michelin Green Star (2020)
- Gucci Osteria Los Angeles received one Michelin Star (2021)
- Gucci Osteria Tokyo received one Michelin Star (2022)
- Casa Maria Luiga received three Michelin Keys (2024)
- Al Gatto Verde received one Michelin Star and a Michelin Green Star (2024)
2002
- Michelin guide, one Michelin Star.
2006
- MICHELIN guide, two Michelin Stars.
2009
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 13th Best Restaurant in the World.
2010
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 6th Best Restaurant in the World.
2011
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 4th Best Restaurant in the World.
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, Chef's Choice Award.
2012
- MICHELIN guide, Three Michelin Stars.
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 5th Best Restaurant in the World.
2013
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 3rd Best Restaurant in the World.
2014
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 3rd Best Restaurant in the World.
2015
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 2nd Best Restaurant in the World.
2016
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 1st Best Restaurant in the World.
2017
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 2nd Best Restaurant in the World.
2018
- The World's 50 Best Restaurants, 1st Best Restaurant in the World.
- Massimo Bottura received the Gold Medal of Civic Merit from the Municipality of Milan.
2020
- Osteria Francescana received the Michelin Green Star.
- Massimo Bottura was named Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- The Kitchen Quarantine program received a Webby Award.
2023
- Massimo Bottura and his wife Lara Gilmore received the Cultural Diplomacy Award from the U.S. Consulate General.
- Massimo received the No Waste Award from Identità Golose.
- Massimo Bottura received the Farnèse d'Or pour la Culture award.
2024
- Casa Maria Luigia was awarded three Michelin keys by the Michelin Hotel Guide.
- Chef Massimo Bottura created the menu for the G7 summit for world leaders.
- The UN appointed Massimo Bottura as an SDG Advocate.
See also
In Spanish: Massimo Bottura para niños
