Alessandro Gavagna can't imagine a world in which he didn't grow up to be a chef. At a push, he could have ended up as a mechanic ('I enjoyed taking mopeds apart as a kid'), but his heart wouldn't be in it; food has dominated his life ever since he was young thanks to his upbringing in beautiful Friuli, next to the Slovenian border in northern Italy.

Born in 1972, he can remember having his arms elbow-deep in pasta dough as he helped his mother make pasta in the kitchen. It was this – plus all the amazing ingredients on his doorstep – which led him to enroll at a catering college at fourteen. After a few brief placements at small local restaurants, he moved on to La Subida in Cormons when he was eighteen. He's worked there ever since, rising through the ranks to become head chef. He's devoted his life to the restaurant, and even married the owner's daughter during his time there.

La Subida celebrates the flavours of the region. 'The food I cook is the cuisine of where I'm based,’ says Alessandro. ‘There's a mix of Mediterranean, central European, Friulian and Slovenian dishes, which I try and evolve and bring attention to.' The food of Fruilia is particularly unique as the region is made up of coastlines, fields, forests and mountains. This means there's plenty to choose from, and traditional recipes typically contain wild herbs, spices and flowers, game, fresh fish and forest fruits, all of which appear on Alessandro's menu. What makes his food stand out from the other restaurants in the area is his ability to incorporate other cuisines – particularly Slovenian – into dishes and giving them contemporary twists, which he believes is the best way to bring attention to the region's food culture. Typical dishes on the menu include Courgette flowers, apple and horseradish, Rabbit and tarragon and Venison and azerole berries.