There’s a new chef in town! buzo Kingston made it official Wednesday last when diners raised a toast to the establishment’s first-year anniversary and welcomed Executive Chef Michele Pieragostini, a culinarian whose passion for food is matched only by his love for football, wanderlust, and rock music.

Pieragostini hails from Fermo, Italy, located a couple of hours away from the culinary capital of Bologna. Who knew that rustic countryside community where both his paternal and maternal grandmothers awakened in him a deep appreciation for traditional Italian cooking–the art of hand-rolling pasta and simmering rich sauces–would lead him to the Caribbean and, indeed, to becoming the executive chef of the renowned Italian restaurant chain Buzo Osteria Italiana located in Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica?

“It is common in Italy to wake up in the morning to make the pizza, pasta, bread,” Pieragostini shared with
Thursday Food. “I was with my grandparents a lot, and they planted the seed. My first job,at the age of 13, was as a dishwasher on weekends at a local restaurant. It was long hours and demanding work, but it gave me the opportunity to absorb every aspect of the kitchen environment.”

He would also learn that the kitchen was intense, requiring discipline and deserving of respect. His next stop was to enroll at the Tarantelli Culinary Institute, located 30 minutes from where he lived. There, he immersed himself in the richness of Italian cuisine. “My time at culinary school laid the groundwork for my future success… my professors also helped me earn an internship at a local seaside restaurant, Ristorante Vela in Porto San Giorgio, Italy, after my second year of school… I felt comfortable in the place, so I kept working for them on the weekends and in the summer while continuing school.”

Ambitious Leap Forward

After a decade at Vela, Pieragostini yearned to broaden his horizons. The owners felt like family to him, so he knew it would be hard to leave, but with their blessing, he headed to the blue seas of the Caribbean, where he would call Saint Lucia home for the next nine years. At the helm of Amici’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, he would spend his time building a brand that would be hailed as the best Italian restaurant on the island.

His reputation soon caught the attention of renowned restaurateur Peter George, owner of Trent Restaurants Limited, the parent company for Buzo Jamaica, who was intrigued by the idea of bringing Pieragostini to Jamaica as the executive chef to enhance the authenticity and quality of the Italian cuisine served by the Caribbean restaurant chain.

“Executive Chef Pieragostini’s expertise ensures that every dish is crafted with care and precision, using the finest ingredients sourced locally and from Italy,” George informed
Thursday Food. “This addition elevates our brand’s reputation and enhances our customers’ dining experiences.”

It’s a role taken seriously by Pieragostini who has embraced the opportunity to showcase authentic Italian flavours in an approach that is meticulous, as he knows each ingredient is critical to the overall success of the dish.

“Take pizza, for example. It’s not as simple as it looks. You have to consider the dough, the yeast, the heat of the oven, and the time it spends rising. Everything needs to be researched and tested,” he said.

Although he has been in Jamaica a mere few weeks, he feels certain his careful analysis in his work has brought an improved pizza experience to buzo.

Finding a Balance

The role of an executive chef is a very stressful one and Pieragostini shares that the best way to manage the stress is to completely unplug on his days off. He goes to the beach in his free time and is a football lover (he’s very emphatic about making the distinction that it is football and not soccer that he enjoys); he plays midfielder and striker positions.

He also loves to travel, filling every minute of the day with the fast pace he is used to by participating in activities before he winds down in the evening at a local restaurant – no doubt teaching himself new culinary techniques. His approach to everything is systematic, he admits.

Despite the miles that separate him from his Italian roots, he remains steadfast in his commitment to preserving the authenticity and integrity of Italian cuisine.

Thursday Food was on location to welcome Executive Chef Michele Pieragostini and shares highlights.