A glimpse at the world.
Which ingredients does Simone Cantafio use? A lifetime of travelling; the marriage of Eastern and Western cultures; nature and seasons; enhancing the building blocks of a dish without ever losing sight of their essence. Knowing where the ingredients come from and who makes them. Contrast and touch, a sixth sense for what works, all-round balance, simplicity and, yes, even imperfections. Wabi Sabi. And, last but not least, plants and vegetables take centre stage in his cuisine. Just a taste and your world will open, the notion of borders and nations soon forgotten.
A glimpse into his life
A career which started with Carlo Cracco, to then become one of the last apprentices of Gualtiero Marchesi, whose ideas shine through in everything Cantafio does: follow the rules of the masters, starting with Sébastien Bras’ nature talks, experience translates it. This is what is distilled into Simone Cantafio’s cuisine, which can now be found in the Dolomites, at La Stüa de Michil, where in a mere two seasons he succeeded in receiving a Michelin Star.
Born in Milan but with roots in Calabria – which he has never lost sight of – Simone Cantafio soon started travelling between starred restaurants and vastly different countries, chiefly France and Japan. After eleven years working for Michel and Sébastien Bras – the founders of a maison which made international cooking history – including a stay on Hokkaido Island in Japan heading the 2 Star Michelin Toya restaurant, the chef chose a new path. A path which led him all the way from the Japanese mountains to the peaks of the Dolomites. A land rooted in its Ladin culture, where he undertook a new journey, taking all, he had learnt and transforming it into sublime, mouth-watering culinary experiences.
fire
Fusion of three elements: 
Chef, substance and fire 
Cooking is about capturing glowing moments.
