Fun Massimo Bottura Facts You Might Not Know

Massimo Bottura is an Italian chef and restaurateur best known as the chef patron of Osteria Francescana. However, he is also famous for his cookbooks and television appearances. Therefore, there are people from all walks of life who are fans of his work or who are aware of the chef’s achievements. Although he is an internationally renowned chef, there are many facts about Massimo Bottura that people do not know. Here are some Massimo Bottura facts you might find interesting and will help you to learn more about the celebrity chef. 

Massimo Bottura Facts: His Early and Personal Life

Where Was Massimo Bottura Born?

Massimo Bottura was born in Modena, Italy, on 30 September 1962. He continued to live in the area throughout his childhood.

Where Did Bottura Study?

Although Bottura became interested in cooking when he was a child and spent time with his mother and grandmother in the kitchen, the food industry was not his first career choice. He began studying law at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. However, he left in 1986 to work for the family business in the role of a wholesaler of petroleum products.  

Is Massimo Bottura Married?

One of the Massimo Bottura facts his fans want to know is whether the chef is married. He is married to Lara Gilmore, whom he met in 1993 after meeting when Bottura worked in an Italian cafe in New York. 

Does Massimo Bottura Have Children?

The chef and his wife have two children, Charlie and Alexa. 

Facts About Massimo Bottura: His Culinary Career

Where Did Bottura Train as a Chef?

The Italian chef did not receive formal training in the food industry. Instead, he worked alongside experienced Italian and French chefs to learn the principles of French and Italian cuisine. He then spent nine months working in an Italian cafe in New York before returning to Modena and then beginning an internship at Alain Ducasse’s restaurant, Le Louis XV, in Monte Carlo. 

When Did Bottura Open Osteria Francescana?

Bottura is most famous for being the chef patron of Osteria Francescana, sometimes referred to simply as Osteria. It was a simple trattoria in Modena when Bottura took over the restaurant in 1995. The excellence of the food means it is now a three-Michelin-star restaurant that tops the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. It is also part of the Best of the Best list. He received Michelin stars in 2002, 2006, and 2012. As he has become so successful, he is a huge inspiration to other Italian celebrity chefs, such as Gino D’Acampo, and to non-Italian chefs who cook Italian cuisine, like Jamie Oliver. 

How Many Cookbooks Has Massimo Bottura Written?

Massimo Bottura has written five cookbooks in his career. The first, Aceto Balsamico, was published in 2005. His most recent cookbook, Bread Is Gold, was published in 2017. His Other cookbooks are Parmigiano Reggiano, Attraverso Tradizione e Innovazione, and Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef. 

Does Massimo Bottura Own a Hotel?

Bottura and his wife own a stunning country house hotel called Casa Maria Luigi. The hotel is on the outskirts of Modena in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, says Conde-Nast Traveler. The 18th-century property opened to guests in 2019. 

Does Bottura Own Any Other Restaurants?

Bottura has a small bistro in Modena called Franceschetta58. In 2018, Bottura opened the Florence restaurant Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura, and the restaurant earned its first Michelin star a year later. The Italian chef opened a second restaurant venue in Beverly Hills in 2020, followed by a Tokyo location in 2021 and a restaurant in Seoul in 2022. The Tokyo location was awarded a Michelin star in 2022. Bottura collaborated with W Hotels in 2019 to open Torno Subito at W Dubai- The Palm on Palm Jumeirah. In collaboration with India Mahdavi and Ferrari, Bottura reopened the Cavallino restaurant in 2021.  

Bottura’s Other Projects

In addition to his restaurants, cookbooks, and television appearances, Bottura is involved in various other projects. These include:

• He is one of ten directors of a training institute called the Basqueue Culinary Centre.
• In September 2020, the chef became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.
• Bottura is a producer of extra virgin olive oil and PGI Balsamic vinegar from Modena. They are part of his line of condiments, Villa Manodori. 
• He is involved with a project called Food for Soul, which recovers food surplus to help people in need. 
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, Botturo and his daughter Alexa started an Instagram Live series called Kitchen Quarantine. The aim was to bring people together internationally to share cooking ideas and tips. 

Bottura’s Television Appearances

Buttora’s First Television Appearance

Massimo Bottura first appeared on television in 2003 when he was filmed working as a head chef for the television show Trouble at the Top. 

He Has Appeared on MasterChef Australia

Fans of MasterChef Australia may know Massimo Bottura from his appearances on the cooking competition. He first appeared in an episode of the competition in series four in 2012. At that time, the series was presented by George Calombaris, Matt Preston, and Gary Mehigan. Bottura went on to make three further appearances as a guest judge in series seven, eleven, and thirteen. During his final appearance on the series, the presenters of the competition were the current presenters: former contestant Andy Allen, food writer Melissa Leong, and the late chef Jock Zonfrillo.

What About MasterChef UK?

Bottura also appeared in one episode of MasterChef: The Professionals, a UK show judged by Gregg Wallace, Marcus Wareing, and Monica Galetti. 

Bottura’s Other Television Appearances

Chef Massimo Bottura has appeared in single episodes of multiple other television series, most of which relate to food. These include In Search of Perfection, Finding Gaston, Chef’s Table, Wasted! The Story of Food Waste, 60 Minutes, and Ugly Delicious. He has also appeared in two episodes each of Top Chef and Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

We hope you enjoyed reading our Massimo Bottura facts!