i. Biography
Today
At La Speranzina Restaurant & Relais in Sirmione, Italy, the work is framed by Lake Garda itself: shoreline close enough to shape the plate, and a Contemporary Italian kitchen that keeps the cooking tied to place. In Fabrizio Molteni’s hands, that means a dialogue between water and land, with freshness held against restraint and composition. Training began at Scuola alberghiera di Monte Olimpino, where the basics of hospitality were put in place before the first working service. The first kitchen post was as an apprentice cook at a 4-star hotel in Aosta, followed by time as commis at L'Albereta in Franciacorta (1994–1995), then Chef de partie at Il Griso in Malgrate (1997–1999). Each step added another layer of discipline, pace, and repetition to the craft. Today, Fabrizio Molteni is Executive Chef of La Speranzina, where that accumulated experience shows in a calm, local register.
Signature
Lake fish, coastal aroma, and controlled heat sit at the center of Molteni’s signature cooking. Slow-cooked Lake Garda pike with green tomato and basil oil is a direct reading of the lake, while wood-fired Adriatic turbot with samphire and Lake Garda lemon confit extends that register across smoke, salt, and citrus. Risotto al pesce persico stays closer to regional habit, with the dish grounded in local tradition rather than broad flourish. The same logic carries through Rock Bass, Leeks, Shiitake, and Rice, Sumiso, Fondo Vegetale, Burnt Leek, Black Garlic. Those plates work through contrast and layering: delicate fish against char, vegetal notes against deeper savor, each element kept legible inside a tight composition. The result is a plate built for balance, not excess.
Recognition
At Relais La Speranzina, the signature work most closely associated with Molteni is La Nostra Storia, a tasting menu personally supervised by him. The menu reads as authorship expressed through sourcing as much as sequence. It is tied to the relais by name, to Molteni by supervision, and to the kitchen’s Contemporary Italian line through the Garda fishing fleet and Apuan-coast olive oil producers. La Nostra Storia functions less as a showcase than as a structured account of place, with lake, coast, and chef set into the same measured register.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Fabrizio
Where did Fabrizio Molteni train or study?
Fabrizio Molteni trained at Scuola alberghiera di Monte Olimpino.
What is Fabrizio Molteni known for?
Contemporary Italian cuisine with deep regional sourcing through the Garda fishing fleet and Apuan-coast extra-virgin olive oil producers.
