biography
GAETANO SGROI
What challenges Gaetano Sgroi creativity is the discovering and exploring the possibilities of in ingredients, merging indigenous produces and tribal cooking methods in to modern techniques.
Under the influence of his parents Gaetano Sgroi had is first contact with exploring the indigenous fauna of his native Sicily in the early stage of his childhood. At the age of 14 at the Istituto Alberghiero in Palermo, Gaetano Sgroi began his career as a chef.
In Italy he did internships at the Villa Olmo by Lake Como, in Venice at the Cipriani and Florence at La Cassiana, before moving to the Shloss Kommende in Bonn, Germany were he met his mentor Camillo Virtu.
At the Johannesburg Sun & Tower in Johannesburg South Africa, he join the kitchen brigade at the acclaimed St James Restaurant with Paul Bocouse being the culinary adviser, soon after sharpening his skills in classic cuisine his work began to receive accolades, winning the regional JEUNE COMMIS ROTISSEUR for the Natal province, heading to the national final, and moving to the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban and winning the Masterchef of the Year.
Gaetano decided to return back to Europe to gain more skills and joined the kitchen brigade of Walter Doughnuts at La Scala Restaurant at the Hotel Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland rated among Switzerland top best restaurants.
Soon after he took his first position of Chef de Cuisine at the Bellini Restaurant at the prestigious Chiragan Palace in Istanbul, Turkey were he stayed for two years propelling Bellini as the best Italian restaurant in Istanbul.
After finishing is two years he moved to Mauritius to be part of the preopening team of Le Victoria Hotel with direct responsibility to overlook over La Casa Restaurant the Hotel fine dinning restaurant, after three years in Mauritius, Gaetano decided to go exploring Asian culinary tradition by joining the Shangri-La Hotel group and moving to the Shangri-la Beijing, during his stay, Gaetano travelled extensively trough out Asia promoting the “Culinary Art Italy”, at the same time he received an invitation by Italian President Luigi Scalfaro to join him as his private chef during Italy first official visit to China.
Gaetano returns back to South Africa by joining the prestigious Orient Express Hotel in Johannesburg, The Westcliff Hotel, he gained rapidly fame, by introducing ethnic methods with contemporary styles and the usage luxury metals like silver & gold in many of is creations.
Gaetano joined the Park Hyatt in Johannesburg, as the head of the culinary division, and in charge of the remodeling of all outlets, soon after Zafferano Restaurant was born, the restaurant soon established fame by been voted for three consecutive years best restaurant in the country.
After three years, Gaetano accepted to relocate to Belgrade, Serbia and take the culinary leading role at the Hyatt Regency, during his four years there Gaetano extensively explored ethnic cuisines from the area and around the world, attracting specialist guest chefs from Luxury Hotels and renowned restaurants focusing on Ethnic cuisine from Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, India, USA, Switzerland, France and Austria to promote deliberately promote Origins Cuisine and researching for uncontaminated produces.
Soon after he was invited by the Italian Ministry of Tourism and the Sicily Region to the Premio Internazionale Segesta, were he received the price for Ambassador of the Culinary Art of Italy, the year after he was nominated for the second time to receive the Premio Mio Mediterraneo in Gibellina.
Gaetano, moved to Nairobi Kenya, in 2009, to be part of the opening team of Sankara Nairobi, were he started intensively exploring Kenyan indigenous produces and cuisine, incorporating tribal traditions with modern techniques, merging them in to fun fashion and art. Since November 2014 Gaetano is now based at the Avani Pemba Beach Hotel & Spa, in Pemba Mozambique, heading the country 4 Anantara Luxury Hotels, as Cluster Chef for the Region.
He is giving the forefront to local ingredients and producer of specific regions, showing through is work, as consequences of his work Gaetano Sgroi is often invited to take part in Radio Talk shows, TV Shows and in to motivational classes to students.
