Carlo Cracco may be Milan’s most stylish chef — and one of Italy’s most famous faces in food.
Born in Vicenza in 1965, Cracco trained under the legendary Gualtiero Marchesi before heading to France to sharpen his craft with icons like Alain Ducasse and Alain Senderens. By his 30s, he was already racking up Michelin stars, first at Florence’s Enoteca Pinchiorri and later at his own Le Clivie in Piedmont.
In 2001, Cracco made Milan his stage, opening Cracco-Peck, which eventually became the simply named Cracco. His current flagship, inside the glittering Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, is no ordinary restaurant — it’s spread across five stories and includes a café, a patisserie, a wine cellar, private dining, and, of course, his acclaimed fine-dining rooms. The accolades have followed, from a Michelin star to Gambero Rosso’s coveted “three forks.”
But Cracco isn’t just a chef; he’s a cultural figure. Millions know him as the sharp-suited judge from MasterChef Italia (and later Hell’s Kitchen Italia), where his wit, precision, and charisma turned him into a household name. Equal parts tradition and innovation, Cracco is the chef who can make Milanese risotto feel like high art — and who proves that Italian cuisine, in the right hands, is always evolving and always stylish.
Grazia USA: How would you describe yourself to someone who doesn’t know your name or your story?
CHEF CRACCO: I’m a chef who’s made food my way of communicating. For me, cooking is about precision, creativity, and discipline. It’s not just a job —it’s how I express myself. I don’t cook just to please people; I cook to make them think, to surprise them, and sometimes… to challenge them a little.
G: What do you think made you so famous?
CC: Probably the fact that I’ve always stayed true to my vision. I’ve never tried to please everyone — and I think people respect that. Of course, TV helped bring attention, but without real work behind the scenes, that wouldn’t have lasted. At the end of the day, it’s the kitchen that does the talking.
G: If desire is the secret ingredient in food, which one of your dishes is pure seduction?
CC: Definitely the marinated egg. It looks simple, but it’s full of technique and subtlety. The texture is unexpected, the flavor is delicate but deep. It doesn’t scream for attention, but it leaves a mark —and that, to me, is the essence of seduction in food.
G: What’s the most “American” thing you secretly love to eat when no one’s watching?
CC: BBQ ribs. But real ones —marinated for hours, then slow-cooked over charcoal until the meat just falls off the bone. Sticky, smoky, totally irresistible. It’s one of those guilty pleasures you should enjoy fully… with your hands, of course. No fork allowed.
G: If you could open a restaurant anywhere in the United States, where would you open it and what would be the first course on the menu?
CC: New York, without a doubt. It’s a city open to bold ideas, where people are curious and appreciate authentic cuisine. The first course? A risotto with green tomatoes, pine nuts, and scampi. An elegant dish, a little surprising, and very Italian, in my own way.
Chef Cracco’s Recipe:
Chef Cracco’s toasted sandwich with stracchino, caramelized pear & grilled radicchio.
You’ll need:
- Rustic bread (like ciabatta or sourdough)
- Stracchino cheese (about 100 g)
- 1 ripe pear·Brown sugar
- A few leaves of red radicchio
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
How to make it:
- Caramelize the pear: Slice it thinly and cook in a pan with a bit of brown sugar until golden and slightly sticky.
- Grill the radicchio: Toss the leaves with a little olive oil and salt, then grill them on a hot pan until they soften and pick up some color.
- Assemble the sandwich: Toast the bread, spread a good layer of stracchino, add the warm caramelized pears, and top with the grilled radicchio. Finish with a crack of black pepper.
It looks simple, but the balance of flavors is spot on. Want to take it up a notch? A few drops of aged balsamic vinegar make it even better.
