Alessandro Pipero

Would you prefer to be stuck on a lift with Belén Rodriguez or with a Joselito pata negra? In this unsolvable dilemma taken from his popular virtual stage facebook is captured the spirit of Alessandro Pipero, one who loves food – “I attended the catering institute not because I loved this profession but because I enjoy eating” – as much as women – “they are the ones who every day stimulate my antagonism and creativity”. An expert sommelier, a versatile maître, a dining room star performer. “Proud to be a waiter”, he sums up. He is, however, one who takes work very seriously, without ever taking himself too seriously. He moves among the tables of “Pipero al Rex” as if it was a stage: he studies his audience, earns their trust, conquers them with empathy, irony, attention.

Over the years, in the shadow of Antonello Colonna and behind the old red door in Labico, he refined his repertoire, his concept of wine services, the secrets of hospitality. And also his idea of cuisine (a synthesis of his personal totems), that lets young talented chefs that he finds and nurtures, being a very capable talent scout, express themselves. So today – now that the era of white gloves, never-ending wine lists and useless salaams – his model is a winning one, the ideal prototype of the new gastronomic restaurant, elegant but capable of making people feel at ease, concrete and fun.

Together with Luciano Monosilio, his new right-arm after Danilo Ciavattini and Roy Caceres, and with a lean and motivated team, Alessandro Pipero and his restaurant have conquered the Great Slam of the restaurant scene: a Michelin star, "maître of the year" for IG, "Novelty of the Year" for l'Espresso and "Emerging Chef " for Gambero Rosso. But the formula remains the same. And so there’s always space for his provocations: the pasta carbonara “served by the weight” or Tavernello wine (at the price of one euro), which appears in the wine list among Tignanello and Clos du Mesnil.