Massimo Bottura is an Italian Chef who developed an interest in cooking at a very young age. He eventually turned this passion in to a business when he opened his own restaurant, Osteria Francescana. His aim was to combine culinary tradition and innovation with modern day art.
His restaurant became one of the best in the world. Here are some of his quotes that will inspire you to do what you love.
Inspiring Massimo Bottura Quotes
“Since I was a kid I was Massimo Bottura — I was escaping from my older brother under the table in the kitchen and from down there, where my grandmother was defending me, in the meantime, she was rolling pasta, I was looking at the world from another point of view. It’s what we do in Osteria Francescana every day.” – Massimo Bottura
“Success in life is about obsession.” – Massimo Bottura
“We’re not choosing the art, the art is choosing us. The pieces are choosing the walls where they hang.” – Massimo Bottura
“I am Massimo Bottura. I close my eyes and I want to understand where I am, cooking is about emotion, it’s about culture, it’s about love, ity’s about memory.” – Massimo Bottura
“So in another way in your mind you feel tradition is oppressive… it’s so difficult to be creative with such a heavy heritage.” – Massimo Bottura
“Things have changed over the last ten years in gastronomy — chefs don’t close their kitchens to other chefs anymore. It’s about sharing. We travel all over the world and share techniques, experiences and ideas with one another.” – Massimo Bottura
“Contemporary Italian is not a cuisine of revolution, it’s a cuisine of evolution.” – Massimo Bottura
“Where I come from, there are fast cars and slow food. It’s where Ferrari, Maserati, Ducati, Lamborghini are all built. But also it’s a place where they grow balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano, ham and mortadella. It’s an incredible place, and I have a big responsibility to the region.” – Massimo Bottura
“Not everyone can be a truffle. Most of us are potatoes. And a potato is a very good thing to be.” – Massimo Bottura
“I tell young chefs to always have their feet on the ground… to travel with their eyes and ears open and absorb everything, but never forget who they are or where they come from.” – Massimo Bottura
“You need a classic technique. You need to know everything, then forget everything.” – Massimo Bottura
“It’s not just about my restaurant — it’s about all the artisans. I take the spotlight, and I move it from me to them.” – Massimo Bottura
“In Italy, there are certain customs you can’t touch: the pope, the soccer team and the traditions. The rest? You can do whatever you want.” – Massimo Bottura
“In the last 10 years in upper gastronomy, everything has changed. We’re not behind closed doors anymore.” – Massimo Bottura
“In my life, I always leave room for the unexpected.” – Massimo Bottura
“We have learned that there is so much energy around the table because sharing a meal is something incredible.” – Massimo Bottura
“At Osteria Francescana, we always ask people: who are you? Then we ask them to show it through their work. I tell my cooks: tell me who you are in edible bites.” – Massimo Bottura
“Don’t lose yourself to obligation. It’s important to dream.” – Massimo Bottura
“I see in Italy a generation of young chefs who don’t have this dream of the future, so we have to feed them the future.” – Massimo Bottura
“Does it bother the French that the Italians have better truffles?” – Massimo Bottura
