Chef Gianni Caprioli
Chef Gianni grew up on a small South Italian farm in Lavello Potenza and with a family of cooks. He cooked throughout Italy, Europe, Japan, and the US before settling in where he now calls home, Hong Kong. Prior to moving to the far east in 2004, he had also been the private chef to the highly respectable, iconic, "king of Italy" and owner of FIAT group, Gianni Agnelli.
Chef Gianni travelled the world with Mr. Agnelli, cooking for him and his guests—the most prominent, demanding, and powerful leaders of the world and industries.
Gianni began his career with his rebellion against the conventional Catholic school system. The only thing that could retain his attention was being hands-on with his work, and it was always about food. Starting at the age of 10, he would work small, random jobs: trimming scrap meat at a butchery, picking up olives on the ground to sell back at the olive dealers' market, selling fruits and vegetables, and working at his brother Gino's rotisserie (5 staff serving 1,000 customers per day), to finally landing his first legitimate job as a kitchen assistant at 14 years old.
At the tender age of 19, he opened a small restaurant with his brother and worked with some of the most revered Italian chefs and establishments: Gino Angelini (Grand Hotel des Bains, Osteria Angelini), Mauro Vincenti (Rex il Restorante), Maurizio Signorini (Ristorante Azzura) and Gianfranco Vissani.
Fast forward to today, Chef Gianni operates a thriving culinary and retail network in Hong Kong. His restaurant portfolio includes the flagship Giando, Giá Trattoria Italiana, Locanda Canali, and Dedica, alongside Mercato Gourmet, a premium Italian marketplace and deli with multiple brick-and-mortar stores. The retail brand is supported by the online platforms Mercato Gourmet, which delivers authentic, high-quality imports directly to local home cooks.
They all stay true to his philosophy: the best food is made with simple, fresh, quality ingredients, and their origins matter. Sourcing, cooking, and serving the finest produce with true passion and love is at the heart of what he does every day.
In 2022, Chef Gianni was honored by the Italian Republic as a "Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy," the country's second-highest civilian honor, celebrating his contributions to bringing Italian food culture to the world.
