Four Seasons Hotel Milano, on the occasion of the start of Expo, announces the name of its new Executive Chef: Vito Mollica.
The driving force of Il Palagio Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, three years ago Vito earned his first Michelin star and now, after a career of 19 years with the company, becomes the Executive Chef of the two Four Seasons hotels in Italy.
It is a great comeback to Milan for Vito, where he started his Four Seasons journey in 1996 before transferring to Prague and then to Florence in 2008, the opening year of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.
Now a new chapter begins for Vito and his staff, including close collaboration with his long time right hand man Marco Veneruso, who assumes the role of Restaurant Chef at La Veranda Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Milano. To Vito is entrusted the new culinary philosophy of the hotel, which envisions a restyling of flavours in La Veranda Restaurant, the management of all new banqueting operations, and of the recently inaugurated Il Foyer Giardino, the city’s new rendezvous for the Milanese ritual of aperitivo.
“I am very happy to be the heir to a great Maestro such as Chef Sergio Mei and embrace this new challenge, particularly in the year when the entire world will meet in Milan for Expo. My objective is to make all guests feel at home, because today, the choice of a restaurant is an experience that goes beyond that of what one sees on a plate, made from research, care and attentiveness,” says Vito.
“We are delighted to welcome Vito here again to Four Seasons Hotel Milano, and we will continue to offer innovative, exciting and delicious cuisine to our guests in this moment of such importance for the city,” says new General Manager Mauro Governato.
Vito’s philosophy is based on “knowing the man behind the product,” and consequently his personal research will lead him to explore markets and small producers in the area that share his passion for quality. The value of every dish is for him in the quality of the ingredients; the more they are prepared with simplicity, the more they release flavour; his style comes from the heart, from the relationship that he establishes with the producers and with one of the most important “ingredients” of all, his brigade. Despite his twenty years plus experience of haute cuisine, Mollica travels continually to visit the best restaurants, constantly broadening his knowledge and searching for inspiration from new places and new people.
Some of the awards attributed to Chef Vito Mollica and Il Palagio Restaurant:
- First Michelin Star to Il Palagio Restaurant (November 2011)
- Guida Espresso of Italian Restaurants 2013 (Italy): cavatelli cheese and pepper with red shrimp and baby squid named Dish of the Year (October 2012)
- Restaurant Guide of Il Sole 24 Ore (Italy): Vito Mollica named Best Chef of the Year (December 2012)
- Chef of the Year for il Corriere della Sera
- Identità Golose: the best wine menu and distillates to Il Palagio
- The Daily Meal’s 101 Best Hotel Restaurants in the World: 4th place to Il Palagio
- Le Guide de l’Espresso 2015: score of 17.5/20
- La Guida del Gambero Rosso: score of 86/100
- Acknowledgement “Cucina d’autore” to the Il Palagio Restaurant from the Italian Touring Guide Club 2015
