Italian Hands, Baja Tides

Giacomo grew up in the coastal town of Cervia, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He first learned to make pasta at home. Mamma Teresa taught Jak to make pasta the old fashioned way, with il mattarello, the rolling pin. He often laughs that Mamma Teresa can make pasta with a rolling pin faster than he can with a pasta machine.

By fourteen he was working full time in the restaurants of Cervia. By nineteen he was at San Domenico, one of the most acclaimed Italian restaurants in New York City, serving as sous chef. Years of working around the world followed, including as Chef at Pane e Vino in San Diego, before he made his way to Quintana Roo, Mexico, where he opened Prego in Playa del Carmen and a second restaurant on Holbox.

Giacomo and Shannon came to La Ventana to kite surf. What was meant to be a season on the water turned into something more. They decided to make La Ventana their home for the kite surfing, the adventurous lifestyle, and most of all the community. La Ventana sits on the edge of the Sea of Cortez, one of the most biologically diverse bodies of water on earth, and a cornerstone of life in this community. Its abundant sea life plays a major role in the planning of the menus at Il Mattarello. Giacomo is excited to be back in the kitchen, bringing his Italian traditions to the town they call home.