MARIO BUCCELLATI is an American-Italian chef, restaurant consultant, recipe developer, and the founder of Mariolino's & the Eight Eat Experience. His speciality is in plant-based cuisine and fresh pasta. He also has a deep curiosity for molecular gastronomy technique.
He is currently the Chef De Cuisine for New York City's leading vegan restaurant group: City Roots Hospitality founded by Chef Guy Vaknin. He oversees 6 restaurant locations as well as commissary operations. Mario helped open the critically acclaimed Manhattan restaurant: Anixi and has updated the menus of Beyond Sushi, Coletta, and Willow.
In 2019 Mario embarked on a culinary adventure to Italy to expand his knowledge of plant-based food and connect deeper with his Italian roots. During his stay in Lucca, a small town in the countryside of Tuscany, he deepened his understanding of fresh pasta, sauces, breads, and desserts, at the macrobiotic & plant-based school, Gioia di Vivere. He then visited Athens and London to meet with restaurants and chefs to learn about their techniques and imagination behind the food they had to offer.
Upon returning back home to the states, Mario began working in Manhattan at two well-respected plant-based restaurants: Avant Garden and Dirt Candy, while also studying vegan cheese making from the Vegan Gastronomy Culinary Academy.
As a restaurant consultant, Mario curates menus which substitute name brands with his original plant-based recipes and reimagines the space by creating a more efficient and functional environment.
The Eight Eat Experience is a 3 hour private plant-based fine dining event curated for an intimate group of 8 guests in Chef Mario Buccellati's home every summer.
It's a culinary journey that celebrates creativity and the beauty of plant-based cuisine, all within the enchanting ambiance of a New York City garden terrace while the sun sets over the stunning backdrop view of the Manhattan skyline.
Each month offers a different 7-course menu that is all scratch made, incorporates molecular gastronomy techniques, and showcases special ingredients sourced from the garden. In addition to dinner menu, each guest also receives a gift bag packed with a loaf of freshly baked focaccia, a jar of pasta sauce, and an assortment of aromatic herbs from the garden, to bring a touch of The Eight Eat Experience back home.
Chef Mario aims to connect people from across the world over fun and creative plant-based dishes in his New York City garden getaway while educating each guest about the ingredients and dishes in front of them. His intention is to bring back the joyous experience of communal dining, where the present moment is savored and cherished.
Mariolino's was created in response to the lockdown of March 2020. Since most restaurants closed their doors and grocery stores became difficult to navigate, Mario decided to launch his own plant-based Italian speciality brand. He offered fresh pasta, crafted sauces, dairy-free cheeses and Italian desserts. Everything was handmade, packaged and hand delivered to the 5 boroughs of New York City, Jersey City and Westchester County.
In 2020 alone he fed over 200 families and hosted 9 pop-up events which fed an additional 470 people. The following year Mario showcased his plant-based Carbonara sauce along with a fresh pasta workshop at the New York City VegFest & Symposium.
Mario has always had a passion for feeding and entertaining his community. His dream is to bring Mariolino's to the masses starting with 3 premium plant-based pasta sauces to be available nationwide. His goal is to encourage individuals and families alike to explore their own kitchens through the plant-based Italian specialties he has to offer.
Copyright © 2023 Chef Mario Buccellati. All rights reserved.
