It’s been less than three months since the 5th annual Napa Truffle Festival, but we already miss our guest Master Chef Roberto Donna who brought a lively and very Italian energy to the table with his fabulous food and friendly, dynamic personality. Below he shares his famous Black Truffle Risotto, which he demonstrated during the festival weekend.
Born in the Piedmont region of Italy, Roberto headed to Washington, DC at the age of 19, opening restaurants ranging in style from the elegant Galileo to the casual Il Radicchio. Wine Spectator called Galileo one of the “10 Best Italian Restaurants in America” and presented Donna with the “Grand Award of Excellence” for his wine cellar. Galileo was also named one of the twenty finest Italian restaurants in the world by the President of Italy. Che onore!
In 2012, he opened Al Dente, a modern, urban Italian trattoria, which was selected as one of the “Top 50 Restaurants” by Esquire magazine, who also named Roberto “Chef of the Year.” Most recently, he opened Alba Osteria where guests can relax and enjoy cuisine from his beloved home region in Italy.
Chef Roberto has been featured on Iron Chef America and the Today Show, and continually wins praises from the likes of The Washington Post and Zagats. He’s also published a cookbook Cooking in Piedmont with Roberto Donna.
