{"id":41047,"date":"2023-07-04T10:04:28","date_gmt":"2023-07-04T10:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/raffaela-pia-ragnatelli\/"},"modified":"2025-10-09T22:33:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T22:33:22","slug":"raffaela-pia-ragnatelli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/raffaela-pia-ragnatelli\/","title":{"rendered":"Raffaela Pia Ragnatelli"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Raffaella Pia Ragnatelli<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u00ab You know what\u2019s the best school Raffa? Life! \u00bb<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019s 27 years old and already the head of the pastry lab at one of Sicily\u2019s most prestigious restaurants, Chef Ciccio Sultano\u2019s Duomo. Working under the supervision of Pastry Chef Fabrizio Fiorani, Raffaella Ragnatelli and her team create the restaurant\u2019s dessert menu on a daily basis. Driven by outstanding determination, she has risen through the ranks without any formal training or qualification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why did you choose to work in gastronomy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I grew up in a pastry shop in Casteldaccia, a small village near Palermo. My father was a pastry chef and so is my older brother. My parents opened their shop in 1994, and I was born in 1995, so I literally grew up in there. I remember being 7 years old and running around among the cassatas and cannoli. I have fond memories of that. Later on, I decided to go to a science-focused secondary school, but my very first job was in a pastry shop, so I gave up on my studies. And I started working at 19. Then I moved to Prague to work at the Four Seasons Hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you make the transition from a traditional Sicilian pastry shop to a luxury hotel in Prague?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It definitely was very different! There were several teams, the room service, the restaurants, the bar, etc. At the beginning, it was tricky for me to manage my time and my work, but in the end, I really loved it because there are so many things going on at the same time in the hotel that you really get to learn a lot…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raffaella Ragnatelli\u2019s career in 5 key dates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • 2015:<\/strong> graduated from a science secondary school<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2016:<\/strong> moved to Malta to improve her English<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2016\/17:<\/strong> pastry chef in Malta and Sicily<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2018 to 2022:<\/strong> pastry demi chef de partie at the Four Seasons Hotel in Prague<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • 2023:<\/strong> pastry chef, Ristorante Duomo by Ciccio Sultano<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \"image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    As you mentioned, you don\u2019t have any academic training or qualification. Was that an obstacle at all?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No, it\u2019s never been a problem to be honest. At first, I did feel a bit illegitimate alongside those who came from prestigious schools. But in the end, I spoke to my bosses about what I felt were shortcomings, and they all replied: \u201cYou know what\u2019s the best school Raffa? Life!\u201d. It\u2019s all about experience and practical work. Everyone has always been so kind to me. My first chef was a Hungarian pastry chef, with whom we prepared traditional Hungarian specialities using different produce to the fruit and vegetables I was used to in Italy. Then I worked with a younger chef, Zsuzsanna Borsos, also Hungarian, and I learnt a lot from her. She showed me how to prepare a plate with great attention to detail. You could really feel the feminine touch in her desserts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How did you meet Ciccio Sultano?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When I decided to return to Sicily, I spoke to my executive chef in Prague and told him I\u2019d love to work at the Duomo. He replied: \u201cI can help you, I\u2019ve worked with Ciccio Sultano before!\u201d. I thought it was fate. I went for an interview, did a trial run before the restaurant\u2019s annual reopening and ultimately, I was hired. It was one of my greatest dreams to work there because I think he is the founder of great Sicilian cuisine. He has immense knowledge of the region, its culture and its history. And my experience there has been completely in line with how I had pictured it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What\u2019s a typical day like at the Duomo?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We get started at 9 am to prepare for the breakfast service, then we have our staff lunch at 11:30 am, all together, with delicious pasta almost every day! The service runs from 12:30 to 3 pm and then we have a break until 6 pm before the evening service, which starts at 7 pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How many members in your team?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Three people: one commis chef, one trainee and myself. And of course there\u2019s Fabrizio Fiorani, who comes in about twice a month for a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    How do you two work together? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s a proper collaboration. If I have an idea, I tell him and he says: \u201cWhy not? Let\u2019s give it a try!\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A month ago, we tested a new citron-based dessert. I told him there\u2019s a large citron we call pirittuni in Sicily that I absolutely love. We added pistachio nuts and Perciasacchi flour, an ancient Sicilian type of wheat that Ciccio Sultano uses for his pasta. We put these three ingredients together and called the dish P\u00b3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How do sweet dishes fit into the dining experience at Ciccio Sultano\u2019s Duomo?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I think all dishes are tied together by the ingredients and the story he wants to tell: that of Sicily and all the influences there, from the Arabs to the Normans. If, for instance, he uses a specific wine or flour for the second course on the menu, we\u2019ll also use it for the dessert. It\u2019s all connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You grew up in a Sicilian pastry shop; does that give you an edge when working with your region\u2019s produce?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yes, I feel a strong connection to this produce. We use Avola almonds for instance, which have the strongest fragrance, in a wide range of preparations: in pastries, marzipan, flour or sorbet. There\u2019s also lemons, ricotta, etc. There\u2019s one dessert that I think totally embodies Chef Sultano\u2019s vision. Simply called \u201cOil, wheat, salt\u201d, it represents Ciccio Sultano\u2019s logo and includes a very creamy Namelaka white chocolate ganache, a wild fennel crumble, olive oil, salted caramel and ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    So you\u2019re building upon traditional foundations and adding a modern twist?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Exactly. In my opinion, Fabrizio Forani is the pastry chef of the future. And what I\u2019m trying to do is combine his vision with Ciccio Sultano\u2019s desire to preserve traditions by offering an innovative interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What are your favourite flavours?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I do love acidity. But I think a dessert should always combine multiple characteristics: crunchy, soft, sweet and acidic touches… I remember when I was 6 or 7, whenever I was out in the fields with my grandparents, they used to peel lemons, put a little salt on them and that was their snack!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do you think it\u2019s easier for a woman to work in pastry-making?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yes, probably. Because most kitchens are staffed with men, for one thing. So the pastry section is a bit like the \u201cpink\u201d part of the kitchen. It may be a clich\u00e9, but I also think that women are more delicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Is it easy to have a private life with this job?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No, not really. I only have two days off a week and I spend them resting for the following week. So let\u2019s just say I don\u2019t have much of a social life. I sometimes go out with the guys from the restaurant, who have become a bit like family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do you sometimes think of what this position could do for your reputation?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m definitely grateful but I\u2019m not someone who seeks visibility. I\u2019m quite shy and I don\u2019t like being the centre of attention. However all the years I\u2019ve spent in the kitchen have taught me how to stand up for myself and gain confidence. I\u2019m 27 and I have young women working with me who are 19-20 years old. In a way, I\u2019ve become their mentor. And I try to pass on to them everything I can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"image<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Do you read a lot of cookery books? Do you also scan social media for ideas?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I buy and read lots of books on pastry-making by chefs from all over the world. That\u2019s how I\u2019ve built up my own knowledge, as I never studied at a cookery school. And I do use social and traditional media to stay informed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Where do you see yourself in a few years?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, I\u2019d like to become head pastry chef in a top restaurant \u2013 that\u2019s my ultimate goal and I hope to achieve it in 2 or 3 years\u2019 time. And maybe in 10 years, I\u2019ll be running my own pastry shop, maybe in Prague? I love everything about this city, it\u2019s magical. You walk around and think wow, it truly is beautiful! But before that, I\u2019d like to experience new things, learn more about my trade and travel as well. Maybe a new experience in Asia… But I know for sure that one day I\u2019ll come back to my hometown…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Did your family come to the Duomo?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yes, my mother came and she was really surprised by the whole experience, the service, the food… I think she was very proud.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Pastry Chef de Partie Ristorante Duomo, Italie \u00ab You know what\u2019s the best school Raffa? Life! \u00bb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":41048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[490],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prominent-talent"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41047"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41579,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41047\/revisions\/41579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lesgrandestablesdumonde.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}