Antonio Iacoviello

Born in Benevento, Campania, Antonio Iacoviello grew up amidst rolling hills and fertile pastures, where his love for cooking was sparked in his family kitchen. Enthralled by the scents and rituals of homemade food, he was particularly inspired by his grandmother, who ran a traditional Roman trattoria. Though his parents urged academic focus, Antonio’s heart was already in the kitchen.

In 2003, he moved to France, joining Alain Ducasse’s team at Byblos in Saint-Tropez. Starting as a commis, he absorbed the rhythm and rigour of fine dining, gaining a new appreciation for precision and teamwork. He returned to Italy in 2006 to cook at Peppe Aversa’s Michelin-starred Il Buco on the Amalfi Coast. This journey continued at Don Alfonso 1890 under chef Alfonso Iaccarino, deepening his respect for raw materials and purity of flavour. Later, in Rome at Magnolia with Kotaro Noda, he discovered a cultural kinship between Italian and Japanese culinary philosophies. Stints at De Pisis in Venice and Marennà in Campania followed.

Antonio then joined Copenhagen’s noma, refining his sense of detail and innovation, before returning to Italy to work with Massimo Bottura at Gucci Osteria in Florence and Osteria Francescana in Modena. Bottura later invited him to Tokyo to launch Gucci Osteria there, where he led the team to a Michelin star in 2023.

In 2025, Antonio returned to Italy to helm Il Pievano at Castello di Spaltenna, where he ushered in a new culinary era for the estate