IN THE FIRMAMENT OF ITALIAN GASTRONOMY, WHERE LOUD PERSONALITIES AND SPECTACULAR DISHES OFTEN SHINE, MICHELINO GIOIA STAND OUT FOR A SILENT AND DEEP ELEGANCE.
Leading the kitchen of the iconic Hotel The Pelican, on Argentario, the Campanian chef carries forward a vision made of respect, listening and roots. Each dish is a measured gesture, each choice tells the bond with the territory and with the people who live there. On the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the hotel, Gioia has given shape to a story that crosses memory, identity and taste, giving guests back the authentic soul of a timeless place.
In the world of Italian fine dining, where tradition and innovation often intertwine, Michelino Gioia is a rare figure: a chef who combines rigor and sensitivity, discretion and vision.
At the helm of the Pellicano kitchen, Gioia carries out a daily mission: to tell the story of the territory through her dishes, without giving up a personal, kind and recognizable voice.
Inside the hotel, he runs two restaurants — the fine dining Ristorante Il Pellicano and the more informal Pelligrill — in addition to the salad and snack corner and the breakfast offering. “At Pelligrill we follow a more traditional line, at Pellicano we can dare. The approach changes, not the quality,” he explains. “Working at Pellicano is a daily emotion and a constant challenge. Guests come here from all over the world with very high expectations. You always have to be creative and attentive to detail.” For Gioia, the cuisine must go beyond standards, offer something distinctive, finding the balance between identity and innovation.
Before arriving at Pellicano, he led the restaurant for over a decade The Cesar (today from Aurelio) of The Old Post Office Hotel, on the Lazio coast. "My style remains consistent, but each place requires a specific language. Here I am inspired by the Tuscan tradition, in Palo Laziale I spoke the cuisine of Lazio. Products and teams change, the heart remains seasonality, territory and memory". Gioia has traveled a lot, working in Italy and abroad, absorbing different experiences. "Each region of the Bel Paese has its own gastronomic voice, within each a thousand accents: it is a wealth that makes us unique". In her dishes, Orbetello eel can meet soy, and childhood pasta becomes rice with sconcigli and fennel.
In 2007 he earned his first Michelin star. "With the star you become more cautious, but the desire to create must not die. If one day I were missing it, I would change jobs." For him, innovation comes from listening: to collaborators, guests and suppliers. A great dish is always the result of dialogue. His team includes the Executive Sous Chef Giuseppe Cavallaro, The Pastry Chef Vito D'Anna and the Sous Chef Luigi Nunziata, responsible for Pelligrill, with which he ensures quality and service. Thanks to this ability, since 2025 Gioia has been Group Executive Chef, coordinating the kitchens of all the facilities Pellicano Hotels.
One of the first gestures upon his arrival was to meet local producers. "The territory is not just a word on paper, it is relationship, trust, exchange. The fisherman says what is good today, the farmer discovers wild herbs. They are the basis of our work."
For this reason Gioia participates in “The Sweet Doing Good”, the Pellicano Hotels sustainability program, which values respect for the people you work with. Gioia avoids special effects: his dishes are simple and linear, he wants the flavor to hit the heart before the eyes. The dish that best represents him? «Scallops with pork crackling, potato soft, green apple sauce and reduced wine. Elegant but decisive. Like me».
The relationship with the is fundamental CEO And Creative Director, Maandrie-Louise Sciò: «He discusses with me every new thing, gives me space and helps me improve. He has a refined taste, a careful eye. The perfect blend».
2025 marks the sixtieth anniversary of Pellicano. For the June celebrations, Gioia recreated the atmosphere of the golden years with a dinner inspired by the great classics and sumptuous buffets, taking care of every detail: oysters, prosciutto and melon, stuffed eggs, peas in jelly and abundant desserts enchanted the guests.
The welcome drinks, created by legendary barman Federico Morosi, were pink like the entrance carpet and recalled the colours of the 1980s, right down to the maraschino cherry of the 1970s.
In an era in which haute cuisine risks getting lost in excess and technicalities, Michelino Gioia demonstrates that elegance, authenticity and respect for tradition can still shine. His cuisine, made of listening and care, merges with the timeless soul of the Pellicano, offering guests not only excellent dishes, but sensory and emotional experiences. With the hotel's sixty years, Gioia combines memory and innovation with rare grace.
