Donato de Santis between Italian tradition and cuisine as identity
El chef Donato de Santis durante una demostración culinaria en Buenos Aires.
Donato de Santis is a central figure in Latin American gastronomy, recognized for his ability to convey Italian cuisine with depth, rigor, and cultural sensitivity. His career, which began in Milan and expanded through the United States before consolidating in Argentina, brings together craft, communication, and business vision. Through his projects, books, and television presence, he has built audiences, promoted products, and defended a way of cooking based on respect for tradition and technical excellence.
Professional origins in Italy and the United States
Donato de Santis trained in Milan in the 1980s and worked in trattorias and hotels in northern Italy, strengthening his technique in Lombard cuisine. In the 1990s, he moved to the United States and became Gianni Versace’s private chef in Miami. During that time, he cooked for celebrities and began forging his own identity, combining culinary tradition with a performative vision that he would later bring to the media.
Roots and expansion in Argentina
Since his arrival in Buenos Aires in 2000, Donato de Santis has promoted an authentic Italian cuisine focused on regional tradition and artisanal products. In 2009, he opened Cucina Paradiso, combining a restaurant and gourmet store. He later added new spaces such as Pizza Paradiso and Donna, as well as a cooking school and the company Italian Gourmet S.A., consolidating his influence on local gastronomy.
Media presence and audience development
For more than twenty years, Donato de Santis has built a prominent presence on Spanish-language food television. He participated in more than twenty shows and gained wide popularity as a judge on MasterChef Argentina. His style combines humor, high standards, and a pedagogical approach, with a cultural perspective on Italian cuisine. This communicator profile allowed him to reach large audiences and sustain his influence across Latin America.
Recognition, publications, and business vision
In 2014, he was named ambassador of Italian cuisine in Latin America by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina. He has participated in events such as Madrid Fusión and published books such as Donato – Cocina Italiana de Autor and Pura Pasta, where he reinterprets traditional recipes. His business profile includes his own brands, export of Italian products, and partnerships with quality-focused firms, always guided by an aesthetic and philosophy centered on authenticity.
Controversies and personal style
Donato de Santis has faced occasional criticism, such as in 2021 during MasterChef, when he responded with an apology and reaffirmed his demanding yet respectful style. He has maintained a firm stance against the use of industrialized ingredients, generating tensions with sponsors. His ethical consistency strengthened his credibility. He leads a private family life and uses his social media to share genuine content, far from artifice and focused on cuisine as cultural expression.
Legacy and present
Donato de Santis embodies a vision of cuisine as cultural expression and educational tool. His influence has been decisive in the appreciation of Italian cuisine in Latin America, always from an approach faithful to its roots. He remains active today with new projects, media presence, and international participation, consolidating a personal brand that brings together tradition, technique, communication, and entrepreneurship.
