Food Exploration: Bella Sicilia!

Chef Profile:

CHEF LINO SAURO

– Executive Chef & Managing Director of Gattopardo Ristorante di Mare

Ask Chef Lino about his background and he will proudly introduce himself as a ‘traditional village

boy’. Born in Sicily into an Italian family of farmers, Chef Lino still carries within himself his Southern

Italian heritage.

His pride in his cultural background is recognizable when he tells the story of how he developed his

love for fresh and unprocessed food: “

Having a farmer as a father meant that we used to eat only

the ingredients that we grew in our own backyard. We had to work for our food, and did not have

the convenience of going to supermarkets; even eating out at restaurants was a luxury that we

seldom could afford. Because of this, we grew up skeptical of all kinds of processed food and out-ofseason

ingredients.

This philosophy resonates well and truly in his cuisine. Today, Chef Lino is recognized as one of the

top chefs in Singapore, specializing in Sicilian and Mediterranean food. His cuisine focuses on

sustainable ingredients, with a kitchen always graced by some of the best seasonal ingredients from

Italy, and an impressive array of fresh seafood unabashedly on display to greet his guests at the

restaurant.