Matteo grandi, born in 1990, was fascinated by food from an early age and learnt the secrets of regional cooking from his paternal grandmother. After graduating, he decided to learn more about the world, beginning his adventure in shanghai as sous-chef at the italian restaurant da marco. His encounter with the french chef jean-claude fugier, assistant to paul bocuse, who also worked with alain ducasse for twelve years, was decisive. Working in his retinue for six years in various restaurants in the park hyatt chain, firstly in china and shanghai, then kuwait and finally india, matteo formed his character and personality, as well as honing a technique of the highest quality and top performance standards. In 2012 he returned to italy to develop his idea of cuisine, which is strongly italian and balanced, but also eclectic, incorporating a varied and diverse professional journey. He began by founding the degusto restaurant in san bonifacio, before moving to piazza dei signori in vicenza, in 2020, with matteo grandi in basilica, marking the height of his career to date.

As recently stated by the editors of the michelin guide, his is a cuisine of «ideas, words and dishes: everything has a definite place in the gastronomic world of the young chef, who pours out his convictions with navigated confidence.
Cuisine must be healthy, not just good – he argues placidly but determinedly. Very little fat, therefore, and room for flavours, which are generally few in number and clearly distinguished in the dishes, without excesses and flaws. Numerous tastings have revealed to us a precise, sometimes sophisticated technique, which is not, however, employed to be original at any cost or to amaze with empty artifices, but to make the dish better and tastier. You might think this is obvious, but it is worth remembering that the huge desire to personalise dishes, to have them come out of the kitchen signed, ready to be photographed rather than eaten, sometimes makes one forget that people go to a restaurant first and foremost to eat!»