FABIO PUCCIO, EXECUTIVE CHEF, MARIO E MARIO, LEBANON

Chef Fabio Puccio’s career has spanned three continents and is riddled with awards. The Italian chef began his over twenty year journey working in his native Italy. He later moved to the Waldhorn Incanto Restaurant in Stuttgard where he was named in Marcellino Guide’s top 10 Italian chefs in Germany. Puccio went on to spend almost a decade working in and out of Tunisia, most recently as the executive chef at The Residence Hotel. His cooking received rave reviews and in 2007 his risotto was listed as one of the top 100 in the world by Gallo Guide. He has now brought his services to Beirut’s Mario e Mario’s.

The biggest misconception about chefs is…

People think we're ignorant and crazy while today a chef is the biggest manager a restaurant can have

Your favorite music to cook too is…

Soft music

The new ingredient you introduced this year…

I introduced the fava tonca beans and edible flowers

The most boring part of your job is…

Nothing annoys me about my job

The chefs that you idolize are…

Gualtiero Marchesi & Alain Ducasse

The rst dish that you learned to cook was…

Stuffed rabbit Orazio Ganci’s career has taken him across some of Europe’s finest cities: London, Paris, Brussels and Milano, among others. After being trained by master chefs, Ganci’s career accelerated quickly as he worked his way up through the ranks at modest restaurants in Sicily. Since then he has been the chef de partie at London’s Harry’s Bar, the sous chef at the Four Seasons in Milano and executive chef at Il Parpaccio in Paris. Ganci is now bringing his talents to Beirut at Harry’s Bar, Saifi.

Your favorite type of cuisine is…

Italian cuisine because it is my home cuisine and it has such variety that it can satisfy any mood

Your thoughts on Lebanon’s cuisine and favorite Lebanese dish is…

Lebanese cuisine is delicious, it has so much variety and flavor, my favorite is tabbouleh

The one thing that a chef should never do in the kitchen is…

patience

Your favorite dish to cook…

Lose

Fusilli alla Norma, which is fusilli pasta with tomato sauce, ricotta cheese and aubergines

Your least favorite dish to cook is…

Smoked salmon because it is not Italian

Which celebrities have you cooked for…

Many, Madonna, Shakira, Tom Cruise, Angelina and Brad, Elton John, Prince Charles, Jacque Chirac, the entire France football world champion team

Your advice to future chefs…

Perseverance, tenacity and passion