Pietro Leemann

Born in Locarno in 1961, he trained with chefs Angelo Conti Rossini, Gualtiero Marchesi and Frédy Girardet. In 1989, together with a group of friends, he opened “Joia” in Milan, the first vegetarian gourmet restaurant to be awarded a prestigious Michelin star, in 1996. In 2000, he received the Pellegrino Artusi prize, followed, in 2010, by that of the City of Fabriano. Engaged in numerous projects intended to divulge the precepts of healthy, sustainable and mindful cooking, he has written several books on gastronomic culture. He founded the Joia Academy in 2015. In 2020, he received a Michelin green star, confirming the sustainable approach of his cuisine and the “Joia” restaurant.