Matteo Salas Bassani Antivari

I am an international Executive Chef, culinary consultant, and hospitality educator with more than 15 years of experience across Europe, Switzerland, and Latin America. Trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse in France and shaped through experiences in Michelin-starred restaurants, my professional path has evolved beyond traditional gastronomy into the creation of meaningful culinary and cultural experiences centered around connection, emotion, and well-being.

Throughout my career, I have led restaurant openings, developed gastronomic concepts, managed multicultural teams, and taught international hospitality students. My experience combines fine dining expertise, operational leadership, creativity, and a strong understanding of how gastronomy can become a platform for storytelling, cultural exchange, and human connection.

Most recently, as Executive Chef and Culinary Director at Quartier LODZE in Switzerland, I led the opening and culinary direction of several hospitality concepts, overseeing menu creation, kitchen design, team development, gastronomic events, and guest experience strategy. Prior to that, I spent more than six years at Les Roches Crans-Montana as Culinary Instructor and Head Chef, mentoring future hospitality professionals from around the world while combining culinary excellence with leadership and education.

My international experience also includes restaurant creation and culinary consulting projects in Mexico, where I co-founded and directed award-winning gastronomic concepts recognized for their creativity and contemporary vision.

Today, I am especially interested in collaborations that merge gastronomy, culture, wellness, art, and experiential hospitality. I believe food has the power to create memorable emotional experiences and meaningful human encounters beyond the traditional restaurant environment.

With my experience, I can contribute to Culture Vitale through the creation of curated culinary experiences such as private dinners, immersive gastronomic events, wellness-oriented dining concepts, chef’s tables, artistic collaborations, retreats, and cultural gatherings designed around storytelling and sensory experience.

I also bring expertise in culinary consulting and concept development, including menu creation, operational strategy, kitchen organization, team training, guest experience development, and hospitality leadership. My multicultural background and fluency in French, Spanish, English, and Italian allow me to work naturally within international environments and connect with diverse audiences.

Beyond technical expertise, I value authenticity, creativity, transmission, and emotional intelligence. My approach to hospitality is deeply human-centered, combining refinement with warmth, cultural sensitivity, and attention to detail.

I am particularly inspired by projects that seek to create experiences that uplift, connect, and inspire people through culture and hospitality. My ambition is to collaborate on initiatives where gastronomy becomes part of a larger cultural and emotional experience — creating moments that people remember not only for what they tasted, but for what they felt.