Nicoló Rotella

Coming Up

Training at Liceo classico/linguistico Vincenzo Gioberti, Torino gave Rotella a structured base before he moved into the international kitchens that defined his path. He later worked as Head Chef at New Wave by Da Vittorio project in China, a step that extended his range without loosening the grip of the values formed in northern Italy: rigor, clarity, and respect for craft over display. Since 2023, Nicoló has been chef of 8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA Shanghai, a role that places him inside a dining room built on precision and finish. The position gives him room to shape a voice that stays specific even as it operates in a broader international context.

Where They Are Now

At 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA Shanghai, he serves as Culinary Director & Executive Chef, guiding the kitchen with a steady hand rather than theatrical gesture. Rotella has described Shanghai as a place that has changed the terms of his work, emphasizing a process of learning and adaptation. That balance between movement and inheritance defines the current work. Contemporary Italian, in Rotella’s hands, stays alive by adapting to context while keeping its accent intact. The results remain polished and modern, but the structure beneath them still points back to Turin.

Signature

Nicoló's signature dishes include ROOTS, JOURNEY, and New Zealand Scampi | Sand Chives | Thai Basil Bisque. The names map the range of his cooking: memory, movement, and the meeting of different references without losing control of the line. Each dish reads as a variation on the same discipline, built to hold both precision and personal history.

In Their Words Rotella has described his work in Shanghai as a process of unlearning and relearning. He emphasizes cooking with roots while remaining open to broader influences.