Cesare Casella, born on 3/1/1960,
is an acclaimed Italian chef who grew up
among the pots and pans of Vipore,
the small trattoria his parents, Rosa and
Pietro, owned outside of Lucca, Italy.
At age 14, Cesare enrolled in
the Culinary Institute Ferdinando Martini, in
Montecatini, and sharpened his practical cooking skills
while studying the
history of food.
After graduating, Cesare set about turning
Vipore from a local favorite into
both a regional and international destination.
He began developing his trademark herbal cuisine
(thanks in part to a garden
with over 40 types of aromatic herbs)
and updating traditional Italian recipes
with new ideas and twists.
By 1991, Cesare had earned Vipore a Michelin star
and a reputation that
attracted clients from Henry Kissinger to Tom Cruise.
In 1993, Chef Casella was named
Executive Chef of Coco Pazzo in New York City.
Soon there after, he launched its sister restaurant,
Il Toscanaccio.
In March 2001, he opened his first solo New York restaurant, Beppe, in honor of his grandfather,
Giuseppe Polidori.
Beppe has earned critical praise and
commercial success for authentic,
rule-bending Tuscan cuisine.
Chef Casella then launched “Republic of Beans”,
an Italian import company of
heirloom beans, grains and spices.
Through his collaboration with
Thanksgiving Farms, in upstate New York,
Chef Casella helps to raise
Chianina (Italian cows), pigs,
and grow certified organic produce.
In 2005, Chef Casella opened
the critically-acclaimed Italian restaurant,
Maremma. This Italian trattoria pays homage
to the beautiful region of
Maremma in the southwest of Tuscany,
and its traditionally-Italian and
seasonally-driven menu
features house-made cured meats and sausage,
pastas and other organic products.
In 2006, the French Culinary Institute appointed
Chef Casella as the first dean
of Italian Studies in both New York City and Parma, Italy.
Chef Casella designed and wrote
the extensive curriculum for the joint
programs and will continue to oversee
the comprehensive training of all
chefs and instructors involved.
The Italian Culinary Academy launched in
October of 2006 in New York City
and in January of 2007 in Parma.
The academy is part of the International Culinary Center, previously known as
the French Culinary Institute.
Chef Casella has written three cookbooks,
Diary of a Tuscan Chef(Doubleday),
Italian Cooking for Dummies (IDG) and,
most recently, True Tuscan (Harper Collins).
He has also been featured in many publications,
including Gourmet,
BonAppetit and Food & Wine.
He has been the subject of a series of The New York Times’
'The Chef' columns.
His frequent television appearances include segments on
ABC and CBS news
programs, The Food Network’s Tyler’s Ultimate and
Molto Mario as well as Martha Stewart Living.
He appears regularly at the James Beard House and
DeGustibus in New York
City, as a featured guest chef, and is an active member
and supporter of City
Harvest, Slow Food USA, Chef’s Collaborative,
Seafood Alliance and the
Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani(GRI), an organization
which seeks to promote Italian cuisine
