I bring a new-generation Italian dining experience to your home in New York—Mediterranean at heart, modern in technique, and always driven by taste and precision.

Gabriele Rotunno

I cook modern Italian and Mediterranean dishes with Michelin-level care and a forward-looking touch.

I’m an Italian chef based in New York, and I’ve been building my craft through years of professional kitchens in Italy—from Michelin Guide restaurants to leading teams as a head chef in Milan. I trained at Eccelsa Academy, and I grew my style by working across cities like Lecce, Taranto, and Milan, always focused on technique, balance, and clean flavors.

My cuisine has been described as “Mediterranean with a look to the future,” and that’s exactly what I aim to deliver: authenticity without nostalgia, creativity without confusion, and dishes that feel elegant yet comforting. I also bring consulting experience from restaurant projects and product development, which helps me design menus that are consistent, refined, and memorable.

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Cooking is passion for me—I live for it, it’s my work, and I love it. And yes, I’m Italian.

What you get when you book me

I cook with passion and purpose

Cooking is passion for me—I live for it every day. I bring that energy into every menu, with Italian instinct, disciplined execution, and flavors that feel vibrant and intentional.

I build my skills through training and people

I learned my foundations at Eccelsa Academy, and I keep evolving by meeting new people, collaborating, and staying curious—because my best dishes come from constant learning, not repetition.

I trust my hands and my craft

My hands are very important in my kitchen—they guide my precision, my textures, and my final details. I believe great cooking is technique plus sensitivity, and I treat every plate like a signature.

Gabriele’s Menus

I offer curated tasting menus—from elegant Italian-Mediterranean to Italo-American fine dining and bold fusion experiences. I design each menu to feel cohesive, refined, and tailored to your table, with dishes that highlight freshness, balance, and personality.

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Stories and testimonials

Strong recommend

Sophie Li

Gabriele was AWESOME. We worked with him to come up with a menu the day of the event and he delivered one of the best pasta dishes I have eaten, as well as incredible breaded lamb chops and a spinach side. Food was 10/10, he was clean, quick, professional. All around 5 stars

Kevin Griffith

Incredible chef. Extremely professional, the food was delicious, everything went off without a hitch. Could not recommend him more.

Rousseau Kazi

I hosted a pre-conference speakers' dinner at my apartment and Chef Gabriele helped make it an evening to remember. The Chef was very responsive in the planning process and brought creativity and flexibility to menu planning for a group that included vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, and a guest who is managing diabetes through diet. Chef Gabriele made sure that every guest was well-fed and felt taken care of. He brought a capable assistant to help wash dishes, clean and prep and was very efficient in the kitchen. And the food... wow! He cooked delicious specialities of the Chef's native Italy as well as creative combinations such as the Farro Salad with Pesto, Burrata and Tuna Tartar. My wife described the bruschetta as "so delicious with the perfect bread, toasted the perfect amount". One guest commented "the meal was delicious and rich and flavor without being heavy -- it felt great to eat!" Chef Gabrielle introduced the meal to the guests, who were delighted to have a top-notch private chef experience. I would be remiss in this review if I did not call out the deconstructed Tiramisu that the chef served for dessert. Don't sleep on this one -- absolutely amazing! I would recommend the Chef 100% and would hire him again.,

Luke Melia

Delicious food and wonderful presentation - even able to make great/interesting kids dishes. Easy to communicate with beforehand and very accommodating.

Ryan Umali

Amazing meal!

Anjuli Cogman