Aperture

🍴 Alto Ristorante reopens completely renovated on April 1st, embracing tradition with a new culinary philosophy. Chef Andrea Vailati, with extensive experience, leads the restaurant located near Milan. A revised menu offers an 8-course tasting experience "Sbarco in Romagna", supported by modern kitchen technologies. The summer season introduces informal "Cenette" dinners on the panoramic seventh floor. The cocktail bar offers a casual gastronomic experience, complemented by a drink list curated by bar manager Niccolò Amadori.

🏖 Planeta hospitality season starts March 27, 2025, with La Foresteria Wine Resort, followed by Planeta Country House on April 11, and Insula beach club on June 1. Located in Menfi, the resort offers a unique experience of food, nature, and relaxation. Visitors can explore Planeta wineries, participate in cooking classes, and enjoy biking. Special activities include walks at Planeta Country House and the 'Chiama Vinu' ritual, while Insula beach club provides wellness by the sea. La Foresteria's restaurant, led by Angelo Pumilia, offers signature dishes celebrating tradition. Francesca Planeta highlights Menfi as a "mosaic of authentic experiences" for an authentic Sicilian journey.

📍 The Social Hub debuts in Rome on Monday, March 31, at the ex Dogana in San Lorenzo. The Dutch brand's investment exceeded 114 million euros, marking its 21st property in Europe, with a presence in the Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany, Portugal, the UK, and Spain. The project spans 24,000 sqm, featuring two buildings with a park, designed by Matteo Fantoni Architetti and managed by ITS Controlli Tecnici. The new building includes a 4-star hotel with 392 rooms and amenities like a bar, restaurants, meeting spaces for up to 70 guests, a 24-hour gym, rooftop terrace with a pool, coworking space for 160 professionals, and a planned covered plaza by 2026. The 10,000 sqm public park, designed by landscaper Antonio Perazzi, will be completed in 2025. The F&B offer includes a restaurant & bar, a cocktail bar, and the artisanal pizzeria Berberè. Memberships start at 121€ per month, providing access to workspaces, the pool, gym, and over 600 annual events. CEO Charlie MacGregor emphasizes the project's role in urban regeneration and sustainable city development.

🍔 FIVE GUYS, with over 1950 global outlets, opens a new restaurant in Turin at Porta Nuova station, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 58. Founded in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia, the chain is known for high-quality, fresh, customizable burgers. The Turin location, with 219 m² and 32 seats, reflects the historic heritage of the station. Italy's first FIVE GUYS opened in 2018 in Milan, followed by expansions in Rome, Campi Bisenzio, Vicenza, and Florence.

📖 Fedegroup, an Italian leader in hotel catering, announces growth strategies for the first half of 2025, with new acquisitions including Carlton Grand Canal Hotel in Venice, offering services for 145 rooms, and Leonardo Boutique Hotel Rome Monti. Baessato Beach Club expands with a new opening at Cayo Blanco. CEO Mirko Sanna highlights 2025 as a year of consolidation and growth. Additionally, Fedegroup launches a consultancy service and an accredited Ho.Re.Camp academy in Milan and Rome, aiming to create sustainable success and guide professionals through advanced management systems and gastronomic innovation, confirming quality, innovation, and customer focus as growth keys in hotel catering.

🏡 Room Mate Hotels in Florence, led by interior designer Luis Garcia Fraile, have been revamped. The chain, founded by Kike Sarasola, emphasizes friendly hospitality and personalized service. Room Mate Isabella, housed in a 17th-century building, blends classic elegance with modernity, while Room Mate Luca, close to Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, combines Florentine elegance with contemporary comforts. Room Mate Leo in Granada, redesigned by Cuarto Interior, now offers 67 rooms and features a year-round heated rooftop pool. In 2025, Room Mate will continue renovations including Room Mate Aitana by Tomás Alía, following the acquisition of the Staying Valencia group, adding 10 new properties to its portfolio.

🍕 Francesco Realmuto, founder of Realmuto Hospitality Group, opens the Ficuzza restaurant-pizzeria in Manhattan's West Village, on Seventh Avenue, inspired by the Sicilian village of Ficuzza, Palermo. Realmuto, originally from Baucina, Palermo, began his New York journey as a diamond cutter for 12 years. Executive Chef Romulo Barrientos, with 20 years of experience, joins him in offering a menu of traditional Italian dishes with a focus on Sicilian classics.

🏩 IHG Hotels & Resorts is opening the Costa Irminia Retreat & Spa, their second Vignette Collection property in Italy, located in Marina di Ragusa, Sicily, by the end of the year in collaboration with Blu Lava Resorts and Panoram Hotels. The hotel, which is the brand's first to launch in Italy, will feature 43 rooms and is part of IHG's expansion in the luxury and lifestyle segment, with 8 operating hotels and another 8 in development in Italy. Vignette Collection, launched by IHG in August 2021, has rapidly grown with 17 properties in Europe and aims to develop 100 hotels within its first ten years. The Costa Irminia Retreat & Spa will offer unique amenities like a private beach club, two pools, and proximity to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Val di Noto.

📹 At Sigep 2025, Fabio Russo interviews Antonia Trucillo, Brand Ambassador of Caffè Trucillo, marking their 75th anniversary. They unveiled the Hippocratica Roastery in Salerno, capable of producing 20 kg of coffee per hour. Caffè Trucillo also introduced their Special T line with three 100% Arabica single origins from Brazil, Guatemala, and Honduras, available in light and medium roasts, and a 250-gram jar option. Additionally, they launched an exquisite 100% Arabica coffee liqueur for mixology.

🍴 Sea Signora from Restworld's circuit, part of Chef Antonio Fresa's Fresa's Group, is hiring Capi Partita for its team. The renowned fish restaurant in San Pietroburgo is opening a new location in Milan's Brera Zone. Ideal candidates should have 2-3 years of professional kitchen experience, preferably in fine dining. Roles include ensuring dish quality and kitchen cleanliness. Positions cover various courses: starters, first courses, main courses, and raw seafood dishes. The permanent contract offers full-time work, 5 days a week, in shifts (possible shifts: 10:00-20:00, 12:00-22:00, 14:00-24:00) including a 1-hour break. Salaries range from €1,500 to €1,900 net per month, with experience-based adjustments and performance bonuses. Hiring starts from late April/early May 2025. The job is open to candidates of all genders as per laws 903/77 and 125/91.