Gennaro Russo

Coming Up

At La Sponda, Le Sirenuse, Executive Chef Gennaro Russo occupies a role that rewards control more than noise. The kitchen’s work asks for precision and balance, and his place there is measured by consistency rather than display. The title fits as a matter of practice: patient repetition, clean execution, and a discipline that leaves room for ingredients to carry the point.

Where They Are Now

At La Sponda, the kitchen’s approach is direct, and Gennaro Russo’s cooking follows suit. The house’s stated principle is simple: respect the ingredients and let them shine. That idea runs through the work as a standard, not a slogan. Under his direction, the plates are built to arrive clearly, with flavor doing the heavy lifting and excess kept out of the way.

Signature

Gennaro Russo’s signature dishes include Lemon risotto with capers, grilled branzino, babà, and pasta al pomodoro. Each one makes the same argument in a different register. Lemon risotto with capers uses brightness to sharpen depth; grilled branzino relies on precise cooking and ingredient quality; babà carries sweetness and tradition without overstatement; and pasta al pomodoro shows how far a cook can go by getting the basics right. In Russo’s hands, simplicity is not an easier mode, but the harder one to land cleanly.

In Their Words “At La Sponda, our Executive Chef Gennaro Russo's philosophy is simple - respect the ingredients and let them shine.” “Any chef worth their salt can do ‘fancy’. The really difficult thing is to do simple.”