Antonino Cannavacciuolo

Antonino Cannavacciuolo
Born	(1975-04-16) April 16, 1975 Vico Equense, Italy
Occupation(s)	Chef, restaurateur, television personality
Known for	Holding nine Michelin stars; Host of Cucine da incubo; Judge on MasterChef Italia

Antonino Cannavacciuolo (born 16 April 1975) is a renowned Italian chef, restaurateur, and television figure, distinguished by holding a total of nine Michelin stars.

Biography

Hailing from Vico Equense, Cannavacciuolo completed his culinary education at I.S.I.S. “F. De Gennaro,” where he obtained his Certificate of Cuisine in 1993. His formative professional experiences include training at prestigious French establishments such as Auberge de l'Ill and Buerehiesel in Alsace, as well as working under the consultancy of Gualtiero Marchesi at the Grand Hotel Quisisana in Capri.

In 1999, together with his wife, he assumed ownership of Villa Crespi, a Moorish-inspired villa located on Lake Orta in Orta San Giulio, where he functions as chef patron. The restaurant was first awarded a Michelin star in 2003, followed by a second in 2006. It became part of the Relais & Châteaux association in 2012 and achieved its third Michelin star in 2022, ranking it among the top 140 three-star restaurants worldwide.

Cannavacciuolo made his television debut in 2013 as the host of Cucine da incubo, Italy’s adaptation of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. Beginning with season five (2015–2016), he has served as a judge on MasterChef Italia, becoming one of its longest-standing panelists alongside Bruno Barbieri.

In 2015, he inaugurated Cannavacciuolo Café & Bistrot in Novara (now closed) and established the Cannavacciuolo Academy to support entrepreneurial development within the hospitality sector. His media presence extends to numerous TV and radio appearances, including a participation in the 2016 Sanremo Festival, and philanthropic efforts such as the “Christmas Menu” initiative benefiting Amref Health Africa.

Expanding his culinary ventures, he launched Bistrot Cannavacciuolo in Turin in 2017. That same year, the special program Ci pensa Antonino aired on Channel Nove (TV channel), highlighting his gastronomic principles and career path. Additionally, he judged Celebrity MasterChef Italia during 2017–2018.

Restaurants

• Villa Crespi, Orta San Giulio
• Cannavacciuolo Bistrot, Turin
• Laqua Countryside, Vico Equense
• Laqua Vineyard, Terricciola
• Laqua by the Lake, Pettenasco
• Le Cattedrali Relais, Asti

Television

• (2013–2015; 2016–present)
• MasterChef Italia (2015–present)
• (2017–present)
• (2017)
• Celebrity MasterChef Italia (2017–2018)
• MasterChef All Stars Italia (2018–2019)
• (2019)
• Antonino Chef Academy (2019–present)
• Family Food Fight (2019)

Books

• In cucina comando io (2013)
• Pure tu vuoi fare lo chef? (2014)
• Il piatto forte è l'emozione. 50 ricette dal Sud al Nord (2016)
• Mettici il cuore. 50 ricette per la cucina di tutti i giorni (2017)
• A tavola si sta insieme. I menu d'autore per le tue serate in compagnia (2018)
• Tutto il sapore che vuoi. 50 ricette di cucina vegetariana (2019)
• Il pranzo di Natale. I piatti delle feste e la cucina degli avanzi (2019)
• Il meglio di Antonino (2020)