Eat Chic: Inside The Go-To Eatery for Guilt-Free Italian

Italian traditional fare can be heavy—at Obicà our ingredients are simple, light and fresh—so we're able to give customers the pleasure of the best risotto, lasagna, or a pizza without having them feel guilty afterwards! Many of our new diners become regulars for that reason: traditional Italian dishes in a contemporary style that's much lighter and healthier than one would expect. Our light cooking methods respect the freshness and the quality of the ingredients, combining them in artful dishes which delight the eyes and the taste buds.

Growing up in Italy, I developed a strong love for leisure and hospitality. In school I studied management of tourism and services in Milan, gaining experience working in five-star hotels, which gave me a great skillset to build a foundation in the industry. For three years I was able to own and run my restaurant, Canotteri, in Umbria, Italy. It was here, when I was free and operating completely on my own, where I honed my culinary values and consistency, and I found my own voice and energy both inside and outside of the kitchen. I've been lucky enough to take that experience with me in helping build the Obicà menu and run our global expansion program.

I joined Obicà because the philosophy matched my own: to use the best ingredients you can find in the market, both in Italy and abroad. Since it was founded in 2004 in Rome, Obicà has always encouraged the use of only the best ingredients from local sources. Before I joined the company two years ago, the concept was 80% focused on the first-of-its-kind Mozzarella Bar. The company was centered around the complex and flavorful Mozzarella di Bufala DOP while offering other small artisanal, authentic Italian plates like salame felino and prosciutto San Daniele. I later joined the company because Obicà was looking to adopt the same high quality, local ingredient approach (the stone-ground flour, the homemade bread, the crispy vegetables of the Branzino) to a more complete Italian menu.

"Good is Beauty and Beauty is Good." From Milan to New York, Florence to Tokyo, and Rome to Los Angeles—we strive to provide our guests with the highest quality Italian experience in each one of our restaurants, no matter where in the world they are. Both in the décor of the restaurant and in the décor of the dish, we use the same approach, which is "less is more"—a few high quality ingredients, enhanced with a personal touch by the designer for the décor, and by the Chef for the dishes we serve.

We want to bring the different regional cuisines of Italy to food lovers around the world. Our fellow Italians, both locals and abroad, love visiting us too because we remind them of home and give them something to be proud of, honoring longstanding Italian culinary traditions. But when a customer tells me on her way out that "it was so simple, so fresh and so good," I feel proud.

From the Mozzarella Bar, I love the Burrata salad with our home-cured peaches, kale, radicchio, horseradish and hazelnuts. This is the synthesis of a traditional Italian cheese appetizer with an unusual, tasty and healthy pairing that makes for a great light lunch.

From the kitchen, our duck ragu with the pappardelle: we start from the whole organic duck, and we make a lighter and refined version of the traditional Renaissance recipe of the duck with the orange zest of Caterina de' Medici. Beauty and pleasure always triumph together.

Just a simple bite of Parmigiano Reggiano with a glass of Amarone!

I love Japanese cuisine and Thai food. It's great to experiment with other types of food and allow that to influence what you know best.