From a grandmother's kitchen to ten restaurants across five continents: Francesco D'Amplo's story proves that in Mineo, dreams are made in a pot.
When Francesco D'Amplo left Mineo in 2009 with a suitcase and a "revised" caponata recipe, nobody could have imagined that fifteen years later his name would appear on a skyscraper in Dubai. Yet here we are. The skyscraper is real. The name too. The rent is classified.
"I never really left Mineo," Ciccio declared in an exclusive interview granted to our newspaper from the leather seat of his private jet. "Mineo came with me. In every dish I serve, there's a piece of the Catania plain." When we pointed out the jet was heading to Barcelona, he replied: "Barcelona too."
The mayor of Mineo commented: "We're proud of Francesco. Even though we're not entirely sure what he does exactly, every so often he sends us photos of dishes that cost more than my grandfather's pension." The mayor added that the town is considering naming a square after him. Ciccio's mother voted against it. "Let's first see if this thing lasts."
Damplo Mineo, the restaurant that started it all, remains the heart of the group. The 18th-century vaulted ceilings, the lava stone, the emerald velvet. And the surprise emotional menu, where the dish price varies based on the guest's appreciation. Mineo's accountants call it "the problem." Ciccio calls it "the future of dining."
