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Cucina, Abruzzo: Italian Food Brings Old Stories to Life

  • Writer: Editorial Team
    Editorial Team
  • Apr 2
  • 3 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Something special is happening in the mountains of Abruzzo, east of Rome. "Cucina" is breathing new life into old stories by carefully reviving ancient Italian food traditions. This renowned restaurant—inspired by the "living guardians of a cultural world on the verge of disappearing"—demonstrates that respect for a place and its history can be a smart marketing strategy.


Candlelit rustic stone restaurant with empty wooden tables and chairs under arched ceilings, warm amber light, cozy mood.
Silence before the storm at Cucina (Image Sextantio)


Today many restaurants incorporate local ingredients. But to possess a deep understanding of their cultural and culinary heritage, well, that is quite a different matter. At Restaurant Sextantio Cucina in the small village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, Italy, they seem to have done just that.


Here, Michelin-starred chef Dino Como, who trained under the esteemed chef Niko Romito, has chosen to remain and utilise his local feel and sensitivity for the place. Together with his team, he is creatively redefining Italian food and cuisine by delving into the rich flavours and history of the Abruzzo region. With support from the Museum of the People of Abruzzo, Como and his team offer diners a unique experience grounded in lost stories by merging ethnographic research with contemporary cooking.


Italian Food as it Was Today


"From Niko Romito I learned diligence, purity of taste, and respect for the ingredient. But my challenge today is different," said Domo, before adding: "It is to write a cuisine that is truly my own. I start from what I have learned, and I carry it with me, but not to repeat it. I want that knowledge to grow within a personal vision, one born from my land and its character."


Daniele Kilghren, now renowned globally as a visionary and village saviour, is the mastermind behind the restaurant and the revitalisation of the once-deserted village of Santo Stefano, all part of the Sextantio project. He stated: "Through our research, we discovered over seventy previously unrecorded recipes, thanks to stories from the older locals. They are the living custodians of a nearly vanished cultural world." He also mentioned that this type of cuisine offers the additional benefit of appealing to our modern desire for a simpler lifestyle.


"We discovered over seventy previously unrecorded recipes, thanks to stories from the older locals. They are the living custodians of a nearly vanished cultural world."

Two women in a rustic kitchen knead dough on a wooden table. Pots hang on the wall. The mood is focused and industrious.
Historic kitchen practices and the art of handmade cooking in vivid detail thanks to this old photo of the local museum (image courtesy of the Museum of the People of Abruzzo).

Forgotten Fruits


The kitchen's "forgotten fruits" and the influence of the ancient local "poor cuisine" are closely tied to the traditional "agro-pastoral" farming system, which integrates communities, crops, and livestock. This way of using the land ensures an abundance of food also during festive periods, Kilghren noted. So, the recipes and culinary expertise, preserved through generations by oral tradition, are now starring in the Cucina kitchen.


"Staying in Abruzzo was a natural choice," rounds off chef Como, "here I know the seasons, the silences, the living matter from which everything begins. Here I can express my identity, in coherence with the values of the Sextantio project."


"Staying in Abruzzo was a natural choice. I know the seasons, the silences, and the living matter from which everything begins."


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Lush vegetable garden with rows of green plants, under a cloudy sky. Hills and distant buildings are in the background, creating a serene scene.
The Cucina team grows ancient seeds and rare fruits nearby (image Sextantio).


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