Rain of Michelin stars on Italy despite everything, despite the Pandemic, despite the difficulties in which the great protagonists of the Italian table (not to mention the small ones) are forced to operate. “Never like this year – reads an editorial release from the Red Guide – do we want to be close to the protagonists of the Michelin Guide, the hundreds of Chefs (and together with them ….. dining room staff, Sommeliers, staff of the brigades), who every day with commitment and passion they make hospitality and Italian taste a great art admired all over the world”.
So go ahead with the desire to go further. That desire they have shown Matthew Metullius, of the Harry's Piccolo restaurant in Trieste, Rocco De Santis of the Santa Elisabetta restaurant in Florence, e Davide Oldani of the D'O restaurant in San Pietro all'Olmo (MI), which – despite the difficult times – have conquered a rightful place in the firmament of two Michelin stars, just as 26 Chefs managed this year to enter the large patrol of one-star restaurants for the first time.
And they are: Donato De Leonardis of Don Alfonso 1890 San Barbato in Lavello (PZ), Alberto Annarumma of Relais Blu in Massa Lubrense / Termini (NA), Luigi Salomone of Re Santi and Leoni Nola (NA), Ciro Sicignano of Lorelei Sorrento ( NA), Giuseppe Gasperoni from Osteria del Povero Diavolo Torriana (RN), Antonio Ziantoni from Zia in Rome, Simone Nardoni from Essenza in Terracina (LT), Giorgio Servetto from Nove in Alassio (SV), Ivan Maniago from Impronta D'Acqua in Cavi of Lavagna (GE), Andrea Casali of Kitchen in Como, Takeshi Iwai of AALTO in Milan, Pasquale Laera of Borgo Sant'Anna in Monforte d'Alba (CN), Christian Balzo of Piano 35 in Turin, Felice Sgarra of Casa Sgarra in Trani (BT), Juan Camilo Quintero of Poggio Rosso in Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI), Alessandro Rossi of Gabbiano 3.0 in Marina di Grosseto (GR), Alessandro Ferrarini of Franco Mare in Marina di Pietrasanta (LU), Domenico Francone of Sala dei Grappoli in Montalcino / Poggio alle Mura (SI), Vincenzo Martella of Linfa in San Gimignano (SI), Peter Brunel of Peter Brunel Restaurant Gourmet in Arco (TN), Egon Heiss of Prezioso in Merano (BZ), Alfio Ghezzi of Senso Alfio Ghezzi Mart in Rovereto (TN), Filippo Oggioni of Vecchio Ristoro in Aosta, Riccardo Gaspari of SanBrite in Cortina d'Ampezzo (BL), Giacomo Doccia of La Cru in Romagnano (VR), Mattia Bianchi of Amistà in San Pietro in Cariano (VR) )
Overall, the panorama of Italian haute cuisine rests on solid foundations 371 starred restaurants divided as follows: 11 three-star Michelin restaurants, 37 two-star restaurants and 323 one-star restaurants, sixteen of which are led by and under 35, four of these by under 30.
La Lombardy remains the most starry region, with 3 new features: 59 restaurants (3 with three stars, 6 with two stars and 51 with one star). The Piedmont, with 2 novelties, is always in second position, with 46 restaurants (1 with three stars, 4 with two stars and 41 with one star), while Campania, with 3 novelties, is in third place of the podium, with 44 restaurants (6 with two stars, and 38 with one star).
Next, Tuscany is the region richest in novelties (6) for a total of 43 restaurants (1 with three stars, 5 with two and 36 with one) and, finally, Veneto, with 37, with two novelties (1 three-star 4 two-star and 32 one-star).
Among the provinces, Naples is always at the top with 28 restaurants (6 two-starred and 22 one-star), Rome confirms the second positionwith 23 restaurants (1 three-star, 1 two-star and 21 one-star). Milan slips from third to fifth place with 17 restaurants (1 with three stars, 4 with two stars and 12 with one), behind Bolzano with 20 starred restaurants (1 with three, 3 with two stars and 16 with one) and Cuneo with 19 (1 with three stars, 2 with two stars, 16 with one star).
Among this year's novelties is the Green Star symbol of sustainability, which has been awarded to 13 chefs. They are: Mariangela Susigan from Gardenia in Caluso, Alfonso and Ernesto Jaccarino from Don Alfonso 1890 in Sant' Agata sui Due Golfi, Massimo Bottura from Osteria Francescana in Modena, Caterina Ceraudo from Dattilo in Strongoli, Piergiorgio Siviero from Lazzaro 1915 in Pontelongo, Antonello Sardi of Virtuoso Gourmet- Tenuta le Tre Virtù San Piero a Sieve, Pietro Leeman of Joia in Milan, Davide Oldani of D'O in Cornaredo, Fabrizio Caponi of I' Ciocio-Osteria of Suvereto, Igor Macchia of Casa Format in Orbassano, Norbert Niederkofler of St. Hubertus San Cassiano, Franco Malinverno of Caffè La Crepa in Isola Dovarese, Roberto Tonola of Green Lantern in Villa di Chiavenna.
On the occasion of the presentation of the Michelin Italy 2021 Guide, 4 special prizes were awarded:
Michelin Young Chef Award 2021 by Lavazza: Antonio Ziantoni, Zia Restaurant, Rome.
Michelin award room service by Intrecci – Advanced Hall Training: Christian Rainer, Peter Brunel Gourmet Restaurant, Arco (TN)
Michelin chef mentor award 2021 by Blancpain: Niko Romito, Royal Restaurant, Castel di Sangro (AQ).
Michelin Sommelier Award 2021 by Consorzio Vino Brunello di Montalcino: Matteo Circella, La Brinca Restaurant, Ne (GE).
Overall, the 66th edition of the MICHELIN Guide offers its readers over 2600 addresses between hotels and restaurants. Among the 2027 restaurants: over 1400 offer a good meal with quality products, 252 are the Bib Gourmands, restaurants that offer a pleasant gastronomic experience, with a complete menu for less than €35, including 11 new ones.
