Gaetano
Sgroi

The story begins in Segesta

I was born and raised in Calatafimi, Sicily, in the shadow of the ancient Elymian city of Segesta. Food was part of everyday life long before I understood that it would become my profession.

My first lessons in food did not come from a culinary school. They came from my family. My mother, Margherita, my father, Angelo, and my uncle Vincenzo — a shepherd who made ricotta and pecorino from the milk of his own flock — were part of the world that surrounded me as I was growing up.

At Bar Italia, I helped my mother prepare fresh cannoli and cassatelle for our customers. I watched, listened and learned without realising that these simple experiences were quietly shaping the chef I would eventually become. I was learning that food is not simply something we eat. It is about hands, patience, family, tradition and the land.

But I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming an international chef. I simply wanted to cook.

My professional journey began at the Istituto Professionale Alberghiero di Stato di Palermo & Erice. During my final year, an opportunity changed the direction of my life. I was selected by one of my professors to join a pre-opening team in Germany. For a young chef from Sicily, it was the beginning of something much larger. Germany became my first real step into international hospitality. It would not be my last.

From that first experience abroad, my career developed through an extraordinary succession of countries, hotels, kitchens, teams and cultures. I travelled. I learned. I made mistakes. I started again. I worked with chefs who challenged me, people who believed in me and teams that taught me lessons no culinary school could provide.

Germany was followed by Israel and then by experiences across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Indian Ocean. Every country changed me. Every kitchen left something behind.

And every new destination taught me that cuisine is ultimately about people.

Over the years, my responsibilities evolved from cooking to leading kitchens, developing teams, opening operations, creating concepts, managing costs, mentoring young chefs and building culinary cultures. I learned that being an Executive Chef is not simply about producing great food. It is about leadership. It is about discipline. It is about knowing when to listen. It is about developing people. And it is about creating an environment where talented people can perform at their best.

Today, after more than four decades in hospitality, I remain fascinated by food and by the people behind it. I continue to work internationally, lead teams, develop ideas and look for new ways to connect food with culture, place and experience. My journey began from the foot of Segesta. It took me around the world. And it is still continuing.