Marco Sacco

«I grew up in my parents’ restaurant. My passion for cooking exploded when I was 9 and my father made me stand on a case of water and I saw the pots, smelled the aromas and looked into a magical world I’ve never abandoned since», this is how Marco Sacco’s story and his love for cooking begins. Innate passion and curiosity for products and techniques evolve into a deep knowledge and into his job as cook. His desire to acquire experience and his professional passion for windsurf lead him to travel around the world.

When he’s little over 20, he works in important French restaurants, next to great chefs like Roger Vergé and the Rimbault brothers. Every time, he comes back home with new experiences, techniques and ingredients, as well as new culinary sensations resulting in unique dishes. This is how a journey of discovery and research of the treasures offered by the surroundings grant him the nickname of “freshwater chef”, as he works to give value to the microcosm surrounding him, starting from fish.

Over the years, Piccolo Lago becomes even more modern and contemporary, with the beautiful open view kitchen in steel, the dining room which, like a pile dwelling hanging over the water, offers a breath-taking view of the lake of Mergozzo. And then there’s the garden with swimming pool and the green house for large events.

Year after year his cooking is always surprising, sometimes playful, the perfect mix of tradition and creativity, of local and global, respecting great raw materials for which he uses the best techniques. After many awards, in 2004 the first Michelin star arrives, and the second in 2007. Since 2014 he’s Culinary Artistic Director for an important group that handed him the task of taking the food of the Isola restaurants in Hong Kong and Shanghai to excellent standards. He’s the president at Chic, Charming Italian Chef and a member of Ambasciatori del Gusto since June 2016. His mission in the kitchen has always been that of investing and training new talents who will become the great chefs of the future.