Chef Armando Aristarco has become a celebrated name in the global culinary world, renowned for his innovative approach to traditional Italian cuisine. Hailing from the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast, Chef Aristarco draws deeply from his Mediterranean roots, crafting dishes that blend authenticity with contemporary artistry.
In January 2025, luxury hospitality group Belmond will be holding a 4-week culinary residency in Singapore’s Mandala Club where Aristarco is one of the four chefs showcasing Italy’s authentic dishes, rich storytelling, and immersive dining experiences. We spoke to the father-of-two about his wealth of experiences from travelling globally, career defining lessons, his future dream, and more.
How has working in different countries shaped your cooking style and technique?
Having had the opportunity to work in different countries and thus come into contact with a melting pot of different gastronomic cultures has certainly helped to enrich and enlarge my cultural and culinary background in terms of techniques and inspiration. Despite this, my cooking style has not been contaminated, in the best sense of the word, but rather, by contrast, it has elevated and brought to the highest expression the Campanian and Italian food and wine culture, obviously with the use of the most modern techniques.
Can you describe your experiences working in different kitchens around the world?
I admit that the approach has never been simple, but I can safely say that, in the end, it was a “Villeggiatura” around the world that allowed me to fully enjoy the “slow and intentional way of life” that is an integral part of the very concept of Villeggiatura. And, in all sincerity, the nation that has remained in my heart during my long professional and gastronomic journey is certainly Singapore. I say this not out of flattery but because my children were born in Singapore and my family was formed there. Additionally, I have always appreciated and praised the wide gastronomic offer, of the highest level, which stimulates and, at the same time, inspires and invites new challenges.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced from those experiences?
The biggest challenge during my first experience abroad was certainly dealing with the language and communication, then, of course, also the distance from my family and homeland.
What is the most challenging dish you’ve ever created, and what did you learn from the experience?
The most creative dish I made, also in Singapore, was born from a collaboration and promotion done with the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. On that occasion, I created a dessert made with candied raw ham.
How do you stay motivated during particularly stressful times in the kitchen, especially when juggling multiple international culinary influences?
I always advise to consider the positive side of stress and the moment of service in the kitchen, to elevate it from a difficulty to a phase where energy and adrenaline converge and flow. This has always guided and supported me, even when working in kitchens with multiple cultural and culinary influences.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learnt throughout your career, both professionally and personally?
From a professional point of view, the lesson I learned, absolutely vital, was to always trust and respect customer feedback. I give an example: preparing a dish of cod is part of my culture, but if my customers abroad, as has happened, defines it as “fishy,” I am obliged to respect and consider their feedback. On a personal level, however, what I learned was definitely to put myself in relation – which always translates into respect, with a wide audience of colleagues and staff from various cultures and with their traditions and beliefs.
How do you incorporate local ingredients and flavours into the dishes you create when working internationally?
A perfect fusion of the two aspects was certainly a dish created again in Singapore. It was a Parmesan risotto with smoked duck breast, an incredible combination of a local product, the duck breast, and a typically Italian dish. Even in that case, I always kept my culinary DNA firm and untouchable, where fusion is never a compromise.
Is there a lesser known traditional Italian dish you wish to introduce to other people around the world?
Pasta with legumes and Italian soups: they are delicious but, apart from minestrone, they are unfortunately not very well known, appreciated, or even completely ignored.
Do you find it tedious to tend and adapt to different allergies or preferences?
It does not bother me at all. The new culinary era indeed revolves around allergies and intolerances or simply current trends. Now the lactose trend prevails. I must specify that at the Belvedere Restaurant at Caruso, we have a tasting menu dedicated to vegans to be absolutely appealing and up-to-date.
What were you doing before becoming a chef?
Before dedicating myself to cooking and becoming a chef, I did nothing else. In fact, sometimes I think about what I could do afterward, after being a chef for my entire life.
What is your vision for the future of your career?
I imagine my future as a host in a cottage in Tuscany, thus dedicating myself to hospitality. I dream of my own accommodation facility, with rooms, where there will not be a restaurant but a home kitchen. In my future, I still see myself at the stove, both for myself and for my customers, but without the expectation of a restaurant service, and I imagine completing it all with a high-level wine cellar in collaboration with my wife Valentina, a sommelier from Tuscany.
What’s the best dish you’ve ever tasted?
The best dish I have ever eaten and remember everything about, as if I had tasted it just a few minutes ago – but perhaps less aesthetical, is the braised lobster by chef Michel Roux at The Waterside Inn.
How do you incorporate modern twists in traditional dishes?
I cannot speak of a modern twist: I prefer to say that mine is an application of modern techniques to traditional dishes where the result is an absolutely clean and linear plating.
