Born to Calabrian mother and a Pugliese father, ROMA’s executive chef Angelo Cuppone is a true son of southern Italy. Cuppone grew up along Italy’s Adriatic coast, where he studied at one of the country’s most prestigious culinary schools. One of his first jobs in Italy was in Il Pescatore, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Porto Cervo, Sardinia.

A stint at a Starwood resort followed. But his career really took off when he took over the kitchen at La Grotta, an agriturismo in Pesaro where he grew up. Pesaro was a farm-to-table countryside restaurant, where literally everything the chef prepares is grown or raised on the estate where it is served.