i. Biography
Simone Cantafio works in Corvara in Badia, Italy, as chef and director of La Stüa de Michil, where he also serves as executive chef. In the Dolomites, the restaurant is shaped as much by place as by service: a kitchen reading season, memory, and movement through an alpine frame. Time spent as head chef at Toya in Hokkaido, Japan sits in that path as a distinct stage in the work that brought him to this room.
The Path
Training at Gualtiero Marchesi placed Simone Cantafio in a line of rigor and precision from the start. That foundation matters here because it frames what came next: a move to Toya in Hokkaido Island, Japan, where he served as head chef. The route shows a chef moving from study into leadership, and then into a different landscape altogether, before arriving in the Dolomites. At La Stüa de Michil in Corvara in Badia, Simone Cantafio holds three linked responsibilities: chef, director, and executive chef. Those titles point to a practice that extends beyond the pass. The work covers the kitchen and the restaurant’s wider identity, with the chef’s role carrying into how the place is defined.
The Work Today
In Corvara in Badia, Simone Cantafio’s remit is not limited to cooking alone. As chef and director, and as executive chef, he shapes the restaurant from the kitchen outward. The setting matters here: the mountains are part of the daily context, and his approach is framed by an awareness of what sits beyond the door as well as what lands on the plate. His own line says the method plainly: “Nothing is born in the kitchen, everything begins outside.” Read as craft, it places ingredients, terrain, weather, and the world beyond service at the start of the process, before anything reaches the pass.
Signature
Simone Cantafio's signature dishes include La Terra è Viva. The name fits a kitchen that treats place as part of the work, and aligns with the wider setting of the Dolomites that frames his restaurant.
In Their Words “Nothing is born in the kitchen, everything begins outside.”
Recognition
Simone Cantafio has received Michelin Guide, 1 Star.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Simone
What is Simone Cantafio's current role?
As of 2026, Simone Cantafio is Chef and Director.
Where did Simone Cantafio train or study?
Simone Cantafio trained at Gualtiero Marchesi.
What recognition has Simone Cantafio received?
Michelin Star.
