Reale

Niko Romito, a self-taught chef from Abruzzo, never expected cooking to become his passion. He studied economics in Rome to become a finance advisor, but his life changed when his father fell ill after converting their family pastry shop, Reale, into a trattoria. Niko and his sister Cristiana returned to Abruzzo to manage the trattoria, intending to sell it. However, they grew to love the culinary world, and after their father’s passing, they chose to take over the business.

Despite lacking formal training in the culinary arts, Niko rapidly developed a distinctive style of cooking and earned his first Michelin star within just seven years. In 2011, he and Cristiana relocated their restaurant to Casadonna, a 16th-century former monastery located in Castel di Sangro.

I’ve had a chance to taste Niko’s cuisine before at the Bulgari hotels in Paris and Rome, but cooking at Reale is nothing like the classic Italian dishes served there. The cuisine style at Reale is highly personal, original, and not necessarily aimed at pleasing everyone. At Reale, Chef Niko elevates “cucina povera” and simple ingredients to new heights. It’s a style of cooking that invites you to reflect while remaining delicious in its own right.