Alessandra Di Paolo

The Climb

Training at Scuola di Niko Romito set the base for Alessandra Di Paolo’s work, with study and rigor established early as part of the method. From there, the professional floor was the kitchen: BorgoTufi, where she worked as a cook from 2015, followed by Locanda Mammì and Villa Majella. The sequence matters here. It shows a career shaped less by shortcuts than by repetition, technical deepening, and the slow formation of identity through service. Since 2022, Alessandra Di Paolo has been chef and owner of Futura, bringing those earlier stages into a project that carries her name in practice, not just on the door. In Chieti, the work reads as an accumulation of habits learned elsewhere: discipline held over time, technique kept active, and a personal point of view made visible through the restaurant.

Today

Pane & Cipolla is the signature welcome entrée on Futura’s winter menu, and it functions as a first signal of the kitchen’s current approach. As an opening gesture, it sets a clear tone for the meal, reflecting the measured care that defines Alessandra Di Paolo’s present work.

Signature

Pane & Cipolla is the dish most closely tied to Alessandra Di Paolo’s name here. It stands as the clearest expression of her table: direct, considered, and placed with intent.

In Their Words “From Romito, I learned a lot; I have kept a similar way of working based on study, dedication, sacrifice, and above all on the bond with the Earth.” “It was a formative and very important personal experience.” Taken together, these lines describe the working principles that carry through her career: study as a constant, dedication as a habit, sacrifice as part of the job, and a connection to the Earth as a grounding influence. They also frame the years in kitchens as formation, not just employment.

Recognition

Alessandra Di Paolo’s honors include Gambero Rosso First Fork (2023). The award marks a point of recognition for a career built step by step, with each stage reinforcing the last and Futura serving as the clearest expression of the work she has assembled.