Head chef at Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, Fulvio Opalio, has been cooking professionally for 17 years.
Opalio began his formal training at just 15, attending Turin’s Institute Colombatto and later completing his apprenticeship under Mario Sobbia, one of the most prominent chefs in the region.
After graduation, Opalio gained a wealth of culinary experience across Vercelli, the Bahamas, Mallorca and Greece, where he worked at a host of prestigious restaurants and five-star hotels.
In 2011, he relocated to Dubai to work at Bice Mare Restaurant, where he met Francesco Guarracino and began to collaborate with some of Italy’s most renowned chefs, including Enrico Bartolini, Marianna Vitale and Pasquale Palamaro.
He went on to join the pre-opening team of the Palazzo Versace Dubai, moving on to Roberto’s Lounge and Restaurant in DIFC before joining Il Borro as part of its pre-opening team in 2017. As the concept’s head chef, Opalio also worked on the launch of Il Borro Tuscan Bistro London, taking over Nobu’s space on the city’s Berkeley Street.
Today, his focus is on creating a menu firmly rooted in Tuscan traditions that makes use of as many local ingredients as possible. Committed to sustainability and reducing food wastage, Opalio’s kitchen also pays huge attention to animal welfare and takes a nose to tail approach wherever possible.