Gennaro Esposito
Gennaro Esposito
Having run his own restaurant for the last twenty-three years, Gennaro Esposito has had a remarkable career rooted in his hometown of Vico Equense. Working with Michelin-starred greats and earning two stars for himself, these achievements have only strengthened his passion and resolve to achieve new culinary heights.
Having run his own restaurant for the last twenty-three years, Gennaro Esposito has had a remarkable career rooted in his hometown of Vico Equense. Working with Michelin-starred greats and earning two stars for himself, these achievements have only strengthened his passion and resolve to achieve new culinary heights.
Gennaro Esposito is a commanding figure in Italian cooking, both in terms of his physical presence in the kitchen and popularity throughout the country. Born in the coastal town of Vico Equense in Naples in 1970, he grew up with a love and respect for the fresh produce grown on his family’s farm, as well as the processes of natural cultivation, the culture and the history of the region. Clearly coming from a family of food-lovers, he was inspired by his mother’s cooking to take a job in his uncle’s pastry shop when he was only nine years old. He recalls fond memories of working with the food, making coffee and dishing up ice creams, as well as serving the customers – learning the importance of diversity, respect and hospitality required in the catering industry. Here, he also started to appreciate the techniques and nuances of combining flavours: ‘In the pastry shop, when I realised that by combining two flavours, I’d created a sublime third, the alchemy and skill hooked me forever.’
From the age of fourteen, Gennaro juggled work in local pizzerias and restaurants with his studies at a hotel and hospitality school. ‘At that age I knew I was meant to cook, but I did not know how or where,’ he says. He describes this time in his life as a ‘sacred fire’ – a time where he spent hours repeating daily tasks and routines in the kitchens, but was fortunate with his experiences and the people he met, resulting in a fantastic springboard for his ongoing success in the industry.
Two of the people he credits with this success are chefs Gianfranco Vissani and Alain Ducasse. Working with Gianfranco was his first experience of a Michelin-starred kitchen, learning the ropes in a professional environment and getting to grips with the rhythm of a high calibre restaurant. Gianfranco was a huge influence on his mental preparation for becoming a chef, although this also stretched to creative influence as well. ‘It’s very important for a mentor to transmit this type of self-discipline,' says Gennaro. 'He taught me that creativity combined with familiarity and skilfulness knows no limits in the kitchen.’ This belief in limitless creativity contributed to Gennaro’s life-long goal of exciting his diners with new and unique experiences.
Legendary French chef Alain Ducasse happened to hear of Gennaro while holidaying near his home town of Vico Equense in 1989. This fortunate meeting ended with Gennaro taking positions at Ducasse’s Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo and the Plaza Athenee in Paris, offering him the chance to hone his skills in these illustrious French establishments.
After this solid grounding in both French and Italian cuisine, his love for the latter – and for his homeland – won out, drawing him back to Vico Equense in 1992, where he opened his own restaurant Torre de Saracino with his wife Vittoria. This decision was an outstanding achievement for a chef as young as Gennaro, who at this point was just twenty-two years old.
Torre del Saracino makes fantastic use of the surroundings in the coastal town. Positioned on the beach in an old medieval fort, the restaurant has stunning views out to sea and retains part of the quiet nature and charm of the region, despite its proximity to the holiday hotspots of Sorrento, Amalfi and Positano. Spending time building up the restaurant’s reputation and unique style, Gennaro’s dedication was rewarded in 2001 with a first Michelin star followed by a second star in 2008. The restaurant has also held three Gambero Rosso forks since 2003, and was awarded the accolade of best Campania restaurant in 2006.
Credited as a fundamental force within the avant-garde movement of Italian cuisine, Gennaro’s food still remains true to his roots, evoking both simplicity of ingredients and traditional styles and recipes. His take on ‘haute cuisine’ is based around the use of quality raw materials, implying an exclusive depth and knowledge that comes with the skilful use of wonderful produce. Lemons are one of his favourite ingredients, a fruit which exemplifies the numerous possibilities within cooking that he loves.
His style and flair, alongside his passion for his native region, can be seen in such dishes as his Spaghetti with anchovy sauce, walnut pesto and fried scabbardfish from Sorrento, as well as seasonal plates of ravioli chicken cacciatore with black cabbage and mushrooms. The success and longevity of the restaurant is a testament to the chef’s skill, with Torre del Saracino itself – alongside his food – paying homage to the chef’s hometown, roots and values.
Three things you should know
Gennaro's wife Vittoria is a pastry chef at the restaurant, and also works front of house.
Despite the two Michelin stars Gennaro has gained over the years, he still describes his cooking as straightforward and simple, and his only rule is to cook for others as you would want them to cook for you.
Gennaro is incredibly grateful to organisations such as Michelin as his restaurant is quite tucked away. He believes they are the reason his restaurant is always busy.
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