The Chef Annamaria

What is cooking for me?
It’s the sum total of emotions… if I’m sad, nervous, happy, pensive, cooking cancels it all out and takes me into a parallel world. Cooking is the only thing that never bores me!

Why did I choose the Cucina di Casabella restaurant?
I was immediately fascinated and intrigued by its philosophy! It’s the same as the one I’ve always strived for: to use all local products, in this case those from Tuscany. Create something with local, seasonal produce!
At first, it wasn’t easy to find local farms for meat, cheese, vegetables, fish… Adapting to their schedules, their setbacks, our needs, making myself known to them, but once I got past all that it was great because they now let me know about their products day by day, and all the work that goes into it, and it’s incredible!
The more the days go by, the more it fascinates me… I feel like I’m going back to childhood, when my grandfather used to take me to the countryside and introduce me to the land and its produce, and he’d always tell me to respect their time. Bringing all this to the guests/clients/friends of Cucina di Casabella is one of our many objectives. To give the right value to everything that surrounds us!

What kind of cuisine do I offer?
It’s certainly my style of cooking: Apulian but also Tuscan! My cuisine is simple, colorful and traditional, but with a twist!
I’d immediately say fish and vegetables, like the Apulian I am, but Tuscany, which adopted me, made me discover the importance of meat, whatever it may be, and how to enhance it.
So I try to incorporate both regions into my cooking! As well as passion and love for what I do, of course above all else!