Gualtiero Marchesi "IL Maestro"

 

Gualtiero Marchesi was born in Milan in 1930. He begun his professional training at the KulmHotel in Saint Moritz and then moved on to the Ecole Hôteliere in Switzerland (1948-1950). Back in Italy, he started working in the family restaurant in the Mercato hotel in Milan, creating an avantgarde cuisine, which respected traditional as well as classical cooking. Eager to improve his knowledge, he then went to work in some of the best restaurants in France such as Ledoyen in Paris, Le Chapeau Rouge in Dijon and the Troisgros in Roanne. This experience improved his knowledge of French and international cuisine, which has continued to broaden and improve in subsequent years.
In 1977, he opened his own restaurant in via Bonvesin de la Riva in Milan.

It was awarded a Michelin star in its first year and two stars in 1978. The food critics Gault and Millau, in an interview published in the Times, named Gualtiero Marchesi as one of the best chefs in the world. His name is on the pages of the most famous food guides and in 1985 the MichelinGuide book paid homage to Gualtiero Marchesi by making him the first non-Frenchman to be awarded three stars. Gualtiero Marchesi is also a founding-member of Euro-Toques International, the European Community of chefs, founded under the auspices of the EU.

In 1986 he was appointed Cavaliere or “Knight” of the Republic. The same year he received the Ambrogino d’Oro prize, the highest acclamation from the city of Milan. In 1989 he became the first person in Italy to receive the International Personnalité de l’année prize for gastronomy.
Confirmation of his international role came in 1990, when he was honoured by the French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang, with the title Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

In 1991 he was appointed Commendatore by the President of Italy, Francesco Cossiga.
In September 1993 he moved his Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi to a villa in Erbusco in the heart of the Franciacorta region.

In 1999, the region of Lombardy awarded him the Longobardo d’Oro Seal. This award is given to the most important and famous Lombard people in Italy and all over the world. In June 2000 he was awarded the famous Paul Harris Prize by the Rotary Club.
In 2002 the International Academy of Gastronomy awarded Gualtiero Marchesi the Grand Prix Mémoire et Gratitude. In January 2004 he will be bringing to life a muchdesired project with the launch of ALMA, the International School for Italian Cuisine.

On May 2008 Gualtiero Marchesi opened a new restaurant in Milan calling it Il Marchesino in Teatro alla Scala building. It is a triumphal return in Milan which represents the beginning of his career.
On January 2009 during Madrid Fusion he received The Golden Apron with most important chefs who over the last decade have not only been acclaimed and respected by both general public but have changed our whole approach to cuisine. In Madrid, on February 2009, the weekly Metropoli gave to him the International Award for the career, set up for the first year.

On 19th March, for his 80th birthday, Gualtiero Marchesi create “Fondazione Gualtiero Marchesi” for teaching arts through the taste.
From April to July 2010, in Milan at Castello Sforzesco, the exposition “Gualtiero Marchesi and the Great Italian Cuisine “ took place.
The Exposition "Gualtiero Marchesi and the Great Italian Cuisine" has been presented at the Italian Embassy of Bruxelles and from the 26th until  29th of October at European Parliament.