At True Grade, we believe in sharing stories that spark change, celebrate excellence, and support a sustainable future in food. That’s why we interviewed Michele Casadei Massari, a renowned chef and entrepreneur known for his rich and thoughtful culinary philosophy.
From Emilia-Romagna to New York City, Chef Michele’s journey blends creativity, discipline, and deep respect for ingredients and heritage. As founder of Lucciola, the world’s first Hi-Fi Restaurant, he’s redefining fine dining with emotion, wellness, and intentional design.
In this interview, Michele shares thoughts on Italian cuisine, Parmigiano Reggiano, future food trends, and his vision for True Grade. Let’s dive into his world — where memory, meaning, and innovation meet at the table.
How would you describe your culinary journey and philosophy to those who may not know you yet?
My culinary journey is deeply personal and profoundly rooted in my upbringing. I come from Emilia-Romagna, a land where food is not just part of life — it is life. I was raised in a home where flavor and thoughtfulness were part of every dish, but my grandfather, Luigi Caraffa, truly shaped my philosophy. He was an incredible intellectual, a kind soul, a generous cook, and a teacher in the truest sense. From him, I learned that food must carry meaning, discipline, and humanity.
By nature and by birth, I’m an enthusiastic inventor and innovator — constantly thinking, optimizing, reimagining how things work, and always looking for ways to bring my ideas to life. I do this to support my growth and remain independent enough to stay a thinker, even an outsider, when needed. I love opening all the drawers around me — literally and metaphorically — to see what’s inside, to study connections that might not be obvious, and to see if they can make sense together in a new form or shape. I’ve always believed that form follows function — and this principle is at the heart of my cooking, business, and way of seeing the world.
What brought you from Italy to New York?
My story with New York began early. After my parents divorced, my father moved here, and I took my first solo flight to the U.S. when I was just six years old. From that moment, New York was in my eyes and my heart. It became a promise I made to myself — one I kept many years later when I arrived in the city at 33. I started from the street — literally — selling food at the Union Square Holiday Market. That was sixteen years ago.
Since then, I’ve never stopped building, growing, and committing to this country and this city. I’m someone who shows up, even years later, if a promise has been made — and New York was a promise—a view I delivered to myself. And I’m endlessly grateful to the U.S., to NYC, and to all the exceptional, talented people who, for some reason, always had time and interest in me, my cuisine, and the ideas I keep trying to evolve.
Lucciola has become a standout in the New York dining scene. What makes it unique to you, and what do you want guests to feel when they dine there?
Lucciola is the purest expression of my inner world. It’s memory, discipline, emotion, and joy — all plated with intention. It’s a restaurant but also a love letter to where I come from and who I’ve become.
Recently, I discovered something profound about Lucciola: it is the first-ever Hi-Fi Restaurant.
A Hi-Fi Restaurant is a space where cooking, hospitality, and sensory design follow the same principles of high-fidelity audio culture — where every detail is intentional, emotionally resonant, and executed with reverence. Inspired by the Japanese jazz kissaten tradition, Hi-Fi Cooking applies the same philosophy to flavor and hospitality that Hi-Fi listening does to sound: precision, soul, and presence.
At Lucciola, nothing is accidental — from the ingredients to the music, the lighting, the plateware, and the menu balance. It’s not just about feeding guests. It’s about giving them an experience that speaks, holds, and stays with them.
You and I connected over a shared love of Parmigiano Reggiano. What role does that ingredient play in your kitchen and Italian culture?
Parmigiano Reggiano is a cultural monument. It’s one of those rare ingredients that transcends utility and becomes a statement of heritage, process, and patience.
In my kitchen, it’s a guiding light. It’s not only essential for flavor — it’s symbolic of everything I believe in. It carries time, place, care, and the quiet discipline of generations. I reach for it when I want to add taste and depth. In Italy, it’s part of our soul. We give it to our children, respect it with ceremony, and understand instinctively that it’s more than cheese. It’s identity.
What stood out in your recent conversations with True Grade? What kind of potential do you see in the work we’re doing?
Your vision, Antonio, is not only inspiring to me — it’s as necessary and clear as water. I remember the first time you shared your philosophy with me and how deeply it resonated. It felt like hearing a melody I had known all my life — one that finally became real because someone was playing it in front of my eyes with purpose, clarity, and beauty.
Your approach to ingredients, sustainability, and storytelling is not just right — it’s familiar, true, and deeply needed. And how you act on your ideas — quickly, tactically, with integrity — shows not just entrepreneurship but responsible ownership. That, to me, is the rarest and most meaningful form of leadership. True Grade is a platform built not just for success but for significance.
What trends or shifts excite you most When you think about the future of food — whether in restaurants, grocery stores, or at home?
We are standing at a turning point in the history of gastronomy — one where refinement is no longer expressed through excess but through intention. The future of fine dining is about being light as a feather yet nutritionally dense. It’s about creating beautiful and delicious food that respects and responds to the human body, the environment, and the mind.
At Lucciola, I am proud to lead this change as the first and only Hi-Fi Restaurant where our fidelity to ingredients and wellness is paramount. Our dishes are engineered to deliver the highest nutritional density per gram, featuring low glycemic index compositions, precise sourcing, and preparations that honor food’s natural intelligence.
Our visual metaphor is the feather: one vibrant red, one pure white. The red represents life force, intention, and passion. The white represents purity, humility, and grace. Together, they symbolize our mission — to serve elevated, essential, and unforgettable food. We are not chasing trends. We are defining a new frontier where deep pleasure, nutritional truth, and emotional resonance can finally coexist on the same plate.
Is there a dish, a memory, or a philosophy that you feel captures the heart of what you do and what you believe food should be?
Yes, our Spaghettone Felicetti with aged Parmigiano Reggiano and mountain butter is one dish that captures it all. At first glance, it’s nothing extravagant. But it’s a dish that speaks with clarity, grace, and honesty. Just three ingredients — and yet, the result is profound.
That’s the philosophy: restraint with purpose, elegance without ego, and memory with every bite. I believe food should nourish, but it should also remember, connect, and care.
When a dish speaks softly but leaves an impression that lasts, I know I’ve done my job.
How do you, as Chef Michele and as an entrepreneur, think could be a great, valuable idea contributing to the recipe of True Grade — and how do you see its potential evolving?
As both Chef Michele and an entrepreneur, one tremendous and valuable idea I would love to see happen—growing the vision and evolving the “recipe” of True Grade—is the creation of a True Grade Food Academy & Lab: a dynamic foundation dedicated to education, inspiration, and empowerment for chefs and hospitality professionals around the world.
This wouldn’t be just another training space. It would be a living knowledge platform where ingredients like Parmigiano Reggiano can be fully understood, honored, and taught — from their cultural weight to their nutritional science, applications, and future. It would help fill the gap in our industry, where passion is abundant, but structured ingredient knowledge is rare.
True Grade has everything needed to become a beacon for the culinary world—a speaker of truth, a builder of bridges, and a place where chefs, students, and leaders can gather, grow, and bring forward a new standard of excellence—a standard based on fidelity, knowledge, and evolution.
Shaping a New Culinary Era — Together
Chef Michele’s reflections remind us that food goes beyond flavor — it represents culture, connection, intention, and meaningful human experience. His vision for a True Grade Food Academy & Lab highlights the value of education, ingredient knowledge, and shared purpose.
At True Grade, we aim to form partnerships with those who view food as a tool for positive, lasting impact. Through collaboration and respect for quality, we work to elevate not just what’s served — but the process behind every plate. This conversation with Chef Michele is just the beginning. We’re excited about what’s ahead.
