You’ve booked a dream Villa in Tuscany. And everything looks perfect from the view to the location. But what about the food? How can you make sure it lives up to your expectations? How about having a personal chef – a dedicated Michelin-starred culinary expert – that will come to your holiday home and prepare some of his extraordinary creations for you? This is the idea behind the service offered by Alessio Berionni. Available for booking in and around Tuscany and Umbria.
Here we find out a bit more about what drives Alessio. And what’s behind some of his dazzling creations.
Alessio Berionni – A Personal Chef in Tuscany
Can you imagine transforming the Villa you’re staying in into a top-notch restaurant? Doesn’t that sound like a dream come true? We asked Alessio to tell us more about it.
So, Alessio, how does it work?
“I’m a personal chef that works ‘on call’, and can be booked for the whole stay (this means that I can prepare every single meal, from morning to evening), or just for a special dinner or occasion. I offer a 360 degree service, from food shopping to cooking and, of course, also tidying up and cleaning the kitchen and table afterwards. All my clients have to do is enjoy the culinary experience, tailor-made for them”.
We usually choose the menu together with my clients, so that everybody can pick their favourite dishes and enjoy the ‘perfect meal’. And if someone is up for a surprise, they can leave it up to me to decide the menu!”.
What is special about the service you offer?
Hiring a personal chef gives people the chance to have a more intimate and personal experience. Rather than go to a restaurant, you can enjoy the beautiful setting of your home or rented villa and turn it into a restaurant.
“My clients appreciate the fact that I’m fluent in English”, says Alessio, “and being the sociable type, the atmosphere is always very familiar and welcoming”.
Alessio, his passion for cooking and varied experience – Personal Chef in Tuscany
Where does your passion for cooking come from?
His passion for cooking came on early, in his nonna‘s kitchen. “Every Sunday I’d watch her preparing the dough and making cappelletti by hand with absolute attention to every detail. Ingredients and taste were simple, and yet so perfect”. Then came years of studying and working abroad. Alessio has lived in London for many years, where he’s learned to broaden his culinary horizons with chefs like Alaine Ducasse, Gordon Ramsay, working in Michelin-starred establishments in the UK.
How would you describe your style of cooking?
“My cuisine is a blend of Italian traditions, in particular my home region Umbria and Tuscany, and all the things that I’ve learned working as a chef in English restaurants”. His style of cooking is contemporary, but with an eye for long-lived traditions that are born in this land, central Italy, an area renowned all over the world for its culinary excellence. A perfect mixture of Italian tradition and international contemporary tastes. “I prefer contemporary Michelin-starred cuisine, but I can also prepare traditional local dishes”.
Do you have a Signature dish?
Smoked dark chocolate mousse dark cocoa tart and salted caramel.
When did you come up with the idea of becoming a personal chef?
“When I decided to come back home to Tuscany in 2019, I thought of a way to offer my knowledge and passion to people that come here to travel, to spend some time in their second home, and share with them my love for food”.
Alessio talks about his job as a “geometric game, a way to combine history and nature”, where the freshest ingredients get picked to give shape to stylish creations, dishes that are as beautiful and elegant as they are tasteful.
“I think preparing food and feeding people brings nourishment not only to our bodies but to our spirits.” And Alessio takes his mission very seriously indeed. In his case, everything starts with the choice of the freshest local ingredients, combining flavours in special ways and presenting the dishes with the utmost care. Every course looks just perfect. “I’m very fussy and I like to do things well.”
Tell us about some of your future projects
“Opening a restaurant has never been on my radar. I much prefer being independent, and creating unique, personalised experiences for my clients.”
“When I started my culinary journey, I promised myself I’d discover ingredient out there. I think I’m about half way there, so there’s still much to learn and explore. When I cook, it’s like having a blank canvas in front of me, and every time I try to give life to a beautiful creation. Cooking for me is a bit like travelling, relaxing and just being in the moment. In the future I want to keep growing as a personal chef and as an individual.”
You can book Alessio via his website abpersonalchef.com, or schedule a call to discuss the menu. Then sit back and prepare yourself for an extraordinary culinary experience in Tuscany.
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