'Farm to plate' Michelin-starred dining
Executive chef Andrea Mattei embodies a 'farm to plate' philosophy at Meo Modo, uniting a deep understanding of his Tuscan culinary heritage with seasonal bounty cultivated onsite at the 200-acre Borgo Santo Pietro estate in Tuscany.
By collaborating with the estate's farmers and culinary gardeners, Mattei is able to craft highly personalised gourmet dishes using tailor-made, certified organic ingredients, such as fruit and vegetables that are grown to size by employing biodynamic principles. He also harnesses local wisdom, learning where to forage for wild herbs and how to utilise the benefits of fresh sheep's milk according to the season, and fosters close working relationships with local artisan producers who supply niche products for Meo Modo.
“Our philosophy at Meo Modo is simple but not taken for granted. We identify, personalise and differentiate our dishes by virtue of the ingredients we use, which are grown right here and in our immediate surroundings.”
After extensive experience honing his skills in Italy and abroad, Andrea Mattei gained his Michelin star in 2011, which was reconfirmed for Meo Modo in 2015 after his first season as executive chef. With an approach firmly rooted in his native Tuscan soil, Mattei continues to experiment and play with new ideas to transform local ingredients into simple yet groundbreaking dishes.
“When I was growing up we'd discuss on Mondays what to cook for lunch the following Sunday! My love of cooking definitely sprung from the family.”
With his passion for cooking firmly instilled from a young age, Andrea Ferrari honed his culinary skills in restaurants along the Tuscan coast before joining Meo Modo.
In the kitchen Ferrari is Mattei's indispensable right-hand man, providing steady daily support and organisation behind the scenes, and managing the kitchen in Mattei's absence.
“Love your food, love your wine, love your philosophy. For me the philosophy is about the energy we transmit to the food, and how it influences our perceptions.”
Simone has worked extensively in the Michelin-starred sphere in Paris and throughout Italy. His passion for cooking and good company infuses his dishes, and he constantly seeks to expand his culinary repertoire by experimenting with new approaches. Simone now brings his love of gourmet cuisine to the Meo Modo kitchen as sous chef.
“Being immersed in the landscape and scents of the country spurs me to create new plates rich in aromas, colours and textures.”
Diego Poli has worked across the dessert spectrum in pastry laboratories and Michelin-starred restaurants alike, gaining mastery in the humble art of breadmaking and the production of cakes, fine desserts and chocolates, which he now practises at Meo Modo.
Poli is also the guardian of the 82-year-old mother yeast that was handed down to him by his mentor Rolando Morandin, in whose family it had been for several generations. In the kitchen Poli is known as the 'father of the mother yeast', handling this temperamental character with love and care to produce Meo Modo's superbly executed bread and pastries.
“There are just a few seconds to understand the guest who stands in front of you. Between the welcome greeting and the table: that's where the magic moment lies.”
Andrea Salvatori spent a decade working in sommelier and managerial roles at some of Italy's most prestigious restaurants and hotels, including Del Pescatore (Mantua), Casa Perbellini (Verona), Enoteca Pinchiorri (Florence) and Mandarin Oriental (Milan) before his arrival at Meo Modo in 2015.
Anticipating and responding to ever-changing guests' needs and situations is not merely Salvatori's job but rather a vocation, which he brings to the Meo Modo dining room with dedication and savoir-faire.
A merging of excellence and friendship
Travelling the Tuscan terroir and beyond with our 1000-label cellar
The Meo Modo wine cellar hosts 1000 boutique and prestigious labels that showcase Tuscan and Italian producers, whose passion for wine and time-honoured techniques faithfully reflect the terroir in which each wine is produced.
Tuscany is undisputedly one of Italy's top wine regions, and our sommeliers are dedicated to highlighting not just the range but also the depth of the local terroir, with chosen wines spanning different vintages to enable vertical as well as horizontal wine degustations.
Our wine cellar has been built up over time as a result of dedicated hands-on research by our sommeliers, who visit the vineyards in person to understand the context in which each wine is made. Our Italian producers have been selected from the length and breadth of the peninsular, from the cool-climate wine terraces of Trentino and Piedmont to the sun-ripened vineyards of Campania and Puglia, and volcanic soils of Sicily. These range from some of Italy's most recognised labels to boutique winemakers who produce a mere 10,000 bottles a year.
Respect for nature lies at the core of the Meo Modo philosophy, and our approach to wine is no different. We actively seek out wines that have been produced without the use of pesticides, from producers that practise organic and biodynamic methods.
Meo Modo is located within the beautifully restored thirteenth-century villa of five-star luxury boutique hotel Borgo Santo Pietro, where guests dining on the terrace enjoy panoramic views over the sublime Valle Serena: a visual reminder of the Tuscan roots at the heart of Meo Modo's cuisine.
Immersed in 13 acres of landscaped gardens, the villa exudes a sumptuous feeling of home, with worn leather armchairs pulled up around a grand open fireplace in the entrance hall, fresh flower arrangements picked straight from the garden, and an ancient weathered brick wine cellar that houses Meo Modo's boutique collection of 1000 wine labels.
Nature and luxury: at the essence of our philosophy
Intimacy and exclusivity, under the stars or at the Chef's Table
The Grotto Dining Experience invites Meo Modo diners to enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner for two or celebrate a special occasion in an intimate group of up to four people in the private grotto area discreetly tucked away in the grounds, with exclusive service from your own personal waiter. It's an ideal location for secluded suppers and romantic proposals, or simply to enjoy the stillness of the starlit Valle Serena.
Diners curious to observe the action unfold in a Michelin-starred kitchen and witness the creation of gourmet masterpieces are invited to draw up a chair at the Chef's Table, an exclusive dining platform with a bird's-eye view of executive chef Andrea Mattei and his team at work. This privileged experience entitles diners to enjoy Andrea Mattei as their own private chef for the evening, and collaborate with him to design a menu of seasonal ingredients tailored to their personal tastes.
Meo Modo is located on a 200-acre organically cultivated estate that raises sheep, chickens, pigs and bees, producing artisan cheese, free-range eggs, cured pork products and raw honey for the kitchen. It also encompasses two vineyards, fruit and nut orchards, an artisan cheese dairy and an extensive biodynamic culinary garden that provides seasonal vegetables, herbs and edible flowers throughout the year.
The estate lies at the heart of Meo Modo's 'farm to plate' philosophy, as executive chef Andrea Mattei works in collaboration with the farmers and culinary gardeners to design his Michelin-starred dishes.
At the heart of our 'farm to plate' philosophy
Click here for more information and contacts
To reserve a table at Meo Modo for lunch or dinner please contact our reservations desk at T. +39 0577 751 222 or at meomodo@borgosantopietro.com or
The restaurant is open for lunch from 13:00 to 15:00 Tuesday-Sunday and for dinner from 19:30 to 22:00 Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Monday all day. Outside seating also available in our charming gardens.
Borgo Santo Pietro, 110 - Loc. Palazzetto
53012 Chiusdino (SI)
Tel. +39 0577 751 222
email: info@borgosantopietro.com
See our menu
Lunch: 13:00-14:30 Tuesday-Sunday
Dinner: 19:30-22:00 Tuesday-Sunday
Closed Mondays
