Riccardo Agostini

Executive Chef and Owner

Ristoranti il Piastrino

Italy

Chef Riccardo Agostini knew he wanted to cook from a very young age. By 13, he was studying at a school of hospitality where he graduated with a culinary diploma. His career includes working with Luigi Sartini at La Taverna Righi and Gianfranco Vissani at Vissani Restaurant (Michelin two-star), where he became the chef’s protégé and executive sous chef, preparing the dishes for Vissani’s culinary books―considered the encyclopedias of Italian cuisine. During his tenure at Vissani, Chef Riccardo developed his own cooking style and garnered recognition as one of the most promising young talents in Italy. Following Vissani, he worked as the executive chef at Osteria del Povero Diavolo before opening his own restaurant in 2007: Il Piastrino, located in a beautiful, old stone building surrounded by gardens. Within two years, he had received the Michelin stars rating.

Chef Riccardo credits a major part of his success to his partner and wife Claudia, who is the restaurant’s manager and Master Sommelier. His sense of “fine cuisine” is a blend of regional and international influences, with an enticing mix of seasonal and perennial ingredients. His favorite people to cook for? “La mia famiglia!”