Fabio Ingallinera

Coming Up

Training at Hospitality Institute in Modica gave the work a base in precision, elegance and restraint before Fabio Ingallinera entered a sequence of Italian kitchens. The first station, Duomo in Ragusa Ibla, placed that formation inside a demanding restaurant rhythm and a highly articulated model of Italian cuisine. The route then moved through chef roles at Antica Corona Reale in Cervere and The Ashbee Hotel in Taormina. That progression matters for its contrasts. Sicily and Piedmont, sea air and mountain pasture, refinement and rural directness all sit behind the present cooking. The craft lesson is not accumulation but editing: knowing when to intervene, when to reduce, and when to leave the ingredient legible. The current expression of that work is at Ristorante Nazionale, where Fabio is chef.

Where They Are Now

One mountain address now carries the cooking: Fabio Ingallinera is Chef de Cuisine at Nazionale, Executive Chef of Ristorante Il Nazionale, and chef at Ristorante Nazionale in Vernante. The kitchen is authorial, sustainable, rooted in the territory, seasonal and ingredient-led, with the surrounding landscape functioning as a working source rather than scenery. The mountain register combines Piedmontese tradition, high-quality raw materials, new techniques, and influences from Sicily and his culinary travels. In practice, that means local products, tradition and innovation are held in the same frame without letting technique become the subject. Island brightness, alpine herbs, mountain pasture and southern references are used as contrasts around the ingredient at the center. Marinara di fiume, riso anguilla e pomodoro concentrato shifts the marinara idea inland, toward river and concentration. Tortelli con cavolo rapa, nepitella e panna di montagna sets vegetable, herb and mountain dairy in the same register. Agnello sambucano con cicoria e ras el hanout brings tradition into contact with spice while keeping the meat grounded. The kitchen’s rule is concise: “È una cucina che nasce dalla materia prima, non dall’idea.”

Signature

The signature set — Marinara di fiume, riso anguilla e pomodoro concentrato, Baccala al verde, Castelmagno & Pepper, Black Cardamom, and Orzo alle erbe di montagna — defines the table through river, grain, preserved fish, green sauce, cheese, pepper, aromatic depth and mountain herbs. In Fabio Ingallinera’s hands, the dishes read as a study in place: ingredients first, technique in support.

In Their Words “Io sono arrivato qui nove anni fa, quando cercavano qualcuno che potesse dare un’impronta di territorio, elevando un po’ la tecnica.”

Honors

Fabio Ingallinera has received One MICHELIN star for Il Nazionale (2021). Recognition for Fabio Ingallinera’s work includes One MICHELIN star for the 2022 Guide, confirmed in subsequent editions (2021), Three Hats (2021), and Two Forks.