Riccardo Forapani

Formal training at Hotel Institute gave Forapani his first contact with hospitality, before the kitchen became a place of daily repetition rather than classroom study. As a student worker in a small seafood restaurant, he learned service from the floor up: the speed, the routine, and the constant attention to detail that shape restaurant work. That early period built habits of observation and accumulation, the kind that matter more over time than any single turning point.

A long stretch at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy (2007–2020) followed, where Forapani worked as chef and spent more than a decade refining technique through consistency and restraint. The work there demanded the ability to hold standards while continuing to develop inside a high-pressure kitchen. That experience formed the base of the chef he became: precise, seasoned, and closely tied to the traditions that continue to guide the food.

Since 2021, Forapani has been Head Chef of Cavallino, bringing that background into a new setting with continuity rather than break. In Maranello, the work sits within a place where history and identity carry weight, giving his approach a clear frame.

At Cavallino in Maranello, the cooking stays centered on Italian culinary traditions. Forapani’s role as Chef de cuisine reflects a method built on heritage, discipline, and the idea that refinement comes from handling established forms with modern precision.

La Ferrari and Rossini-style Cotechino are listed among Forapani’s signature dishes. Together, they point to a cooking style that works through named expressions of identity and tradition, with each dish marking a clear position inside the kitchen’s broader language.

World's 50 Best Restaurants – No. 1 and Third MICHELIN Star sit among Forapani’s honors. These recognitions place his career within the highest tier of contemporary dining and reflect the standards of the kitchens where he worked, built through long periods of consistency rather than isolated moments.