The kitchen and the cultural side of the school are managed with wisdom and passion by the executive chef Giovanni Naviglia, who arrived at FoodLab Academy after studying at ALMA Academy and making significant experiences in restaurants of the likes of Uliassi (Chef Mauro Uliassi, two Michelin stars ), Rigoletto (Chef Gianni d’Amato, two Michelin stars) and Il Gelso di San Martino (Chef Nicola Silvestri, a Michelin star).
As a cultivator of the excellence of food, Giovanni is constantly looking for new trends in food and maniacally deepens the evolution of cooking techniques and the organization of kitchen work.
Giovanni
Partner, Executive Chef, Food Trends Expert
Cuisine professor, the young sous-chef Marco Martiny has a degree in Economics but a greater passion for cooking rather than accounting.
He has spent years as a student at FoodLab Academy, Terra sister project for the Italian market, deepening every possible topic and then entering the staff as an apprentice. After 5 years he has finally took over the role of professor.
Marco
Chef, Cuisine professor
Cristina Berlen is dynamic, curious and out of the box. At the age of 19 she decided to follow what has always been her greatest passion and attended the Chef Academy attaining the professional qualification of Pastry Chef.
After a period of internships and specialization courses, she finally joined Terra Academy as a Pastry Chef and Professor.
Her motto is “Life is short, eat dessert first”.
Cristina
Pastry Chef
Outstanding artistic and aesthetic sensibility, coupled with excellent pragmatism, make Alessandra Pollifroni an invaluable resource for projects implementation.
Architectural designer, interior decor expert, master in the difficult art of dealing with suppliers and builders, Alessandra masters the art of creating order from chaos.
Alessandra
Architect and Interior Design Expert
Customer relations
Elena Pinarelli, the secretariat is all in her hands! Historical FoodLab scholar, passionate about cooking and a great pastry chef, after years of career in logistics and administrative management Elena chooses to join us. Her multitasking personality lets her change roles in a blink of an eye, thus you can find her at her desk, at the reception, in administration and, why not!, in the kitchen.
Elena
Head of secretariat, the voice at the phone
In 2000 Federico Crova, a degree in Economics and Management, founded the company that he managed for 13 years with the brands CookinItaly (foreign market) and Accademia FoodLab (Italian market). Accademia FoodLab, that absorbed much of his professional energies, became one among the largest Italian privately owned Cooking Academies, providing services to consumers (cooking school, events, catering) and to companies (corporate events, team buildings, catering). The company is also a Tour Operator specialized in luxury food & wine tours.
Since 2014 Federico has developed FoodLabs’ catering consultancy agency, developing projects for international clients willing to invest in the restaurant market.
As the senior partner of FoodLab Federico is enthusiastic for the creation of Terra Academy, a real gem in the Langhe area where food lovers can learn how to cook local recipes and dive in the culinary culture of this incredibly reach part of Italy.
Federico
Senior Partner, Management, Trends Expert
