Born under the star, in every sense, of Niko Romito, the kitchen of the super-luxury restaurant that Bulgari will open in 2022 in Rome in the historic Piazza Augusto Imperatore, a stone's throw from Piazza di Spagna, Via del Corso and Via Condotti, headquarters history of jewelry.
The chef from Abruzzo, who in the space of a decade, starting from the family pastry shop in Castel di Sangro, established himself in the world of Italian and international haute cuisine, three Michelin stars, for years in the prestigious list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, the top 50 of the best restaurants in the world, graduated "chef of the year" at Madrid Fusión 2020, entrepreneur, organizer, cooking teacher, thus consolidating his strong bond with the Bulgari brand. Indeed, Romito already signs the Bulgari restaurants in Milan, London, Bali, Beijing, Dubai and Shanghai.
The restoration of the rationalist-style building built between 1936 and 1938 to a design by the architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo, the same architect who signed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Foro Italico, which overlooks the Ara Pacis and the Mausoleum of Augustus , as well as the interior design of the project which includes 100 rooms, mostly suites, will be curated by the Italian architecture studio Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel.
The atrium of the building is embellished with frescoes by Antonio Barrera which reproduce different views of the Mausoleum of Augustus, and, on the south facade, by a 70 mXNUMX mosaic by Ferruccio Ferrazzi, who has recreated his personal interpretation of the myth of the foundation of Rome.
On the terrace, with a breathtaking view over the roofs of papal Rome, Il Ristorante – Niko Romito and Il Bar Bulgari will be hosted, both open to the non-hotel public.
The link between the maison and Rome will be underlined by a donation of 120.000 euros for the redevelopment of the lighting in the Ara Pacis, through an agreement signed with Rome.
In the Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, the chef from Abruzzo has designed, especially for the restaurant, a cuisine that blends the modern Italian concept with the classic one, with the aim of bringing the excellence of the Belpaese's cuisine to the world.
"Travellers from every country can taste a menu that summarizes the best of our gastronomic tradition in a real "code" of Italian cuisine, which expresses the culture, elegance and vital spirit of Made in Italy at the highest level" , reads Niko Romito's website.
The Bulgari Hotel in Rome will offer guests a wide range of services, including a 1000 square meter spa equipped with an indoor swimming pool and a highly technological gym.
A library will be created on the ground floor, with a collection of precious volumes on the world of jewelery which both hotel guests and external visitors will have access to by appointment.
“We are very proud to have secured such an extraordinary location for the new Bulgari Hotel Rome,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the maison. “The development of this hotel, which will open in 2022, represents an important milestone for Bulgari, which will finally have its 'temple' in the city where the company was founded and which still represents the beating heart of the brand today”.
The great international commitments marked an exceptional year for Chef Romito who, however, also had to take a nasty blow: the exit from the prestigious list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants, the top 50 of the best restaurants in the world. In the last edition, Romito lost 15 positions, going from 36th to 51st place.
The great chef commented with souplesse: «This has been an incredible year for me: I've been in the kitchen at the "Reale" a lot, doing a crazy search, I've opened Bulgari restaurants all over the world, I've received a star in Shanghai, I've inaugurated new formats such as Alt and a bakery, in short, I am very satisfied with my work».
