Nino Graziano was born on September 27, 1955, in the Sicilian town of Bolognetta. His professional story began at 15, when he went to study the cook's craft at school. After graduating, he interned in Switzerland and Milan, then worked for fifteen years in France. This experience let him sharpen his technique and understand the international standards of haute cuisine. In 1989, he returned to Sicily and, together with his wife Sabine, opened restaurant Il Mulinazzo. Just a few years later, the restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars, becoming the first venue in Sicily to earn that distinction.
The turning point came with a trip to Moscow in 2002 — Graziano held a week of Sicilian cuisine there and met restaurateurs Igor Vitoshinsky and Mikhail Nikulin, founders of "Portofino." It was they who invited him to head the kitchen of a new project — Semifreddo.
The restaurant opened in 2003 and quickly became a sensation. For Moscow at the time, Graziano's cooking was a genuine revelation: for the first time, Italian gastronomy was presented at a fine-dining level. The chef himself stood at the stove, while his wife Sabine ran the dining room.
A whole generation of Russian chefs took shape under Graziano's guidance. Among his students are the Berezutsky brothers, who later became stars of modern Russian cuisine in their own right. Semifreddo became not just a restaurant, but a school, where people learned respect for the ingredient, attention to detail, and the Italian philosophy of hospitality.
The next step was opening La Bottega Siciliana — an accessible Italian restaurant created together with Vitoshinsky and Nikulin. Here Graziano brought to life the idea of a "house of Italian cuisine," where you can try simple but impeccably prepared dishes — pizza, pasta, fresh seafood, and traditional desserts.
Focacceria came later — an intimate project close in spirit to La Bottega, but with an emphasis on a street-food format and light Italian dishes. One philosophy unites all these restaurants: making Italian cuisine part of Moscow's gastronomic life.
Timura Frunze, 11s55
Nino Graziano's culinary philosophy is founded on respect for the ingredient and for tradition. He's convinced that it's precisely a love for what the land provides that makes it possible to create dishes of the highest level. His approach combines Sicilian authenticity with techniques mastered while working in Europe. He pays particular attention, for instance, to the simplicity and quality of ingredients, reflected in La Bottega Siciliana's menu.
Nino Graziano's achievements today go beyond the success of his Moscow restaurants — they extend to his influence on the entire local gastronomy scene. He's trained talented chefs, among them the Berezutsky brothers. Today the chef splits his time between Sicily, where he produces olive oil and wine, and Moscow, where he continues overseeing his projects. Together with his partners, he's discussing the possibility of opening restaurants in other countries, to share the taste of Sicily with the world.
Okhotny Ryad, 2
27.10.2025
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