Mario Buccellati is an Italian-American chef and restaurant consultant in New York City. He specializes in plant-based cuisine, colorful fresh pasta, molecular gastronomy and has a deep passion for serving his community.
Mario set off on a culinary journey to Italy in 2019, eager to broaden his expertise in plant-based cuisine and explore his Italian heritage. His travels took him to Lucca, a charming town nestled in the Tuscan countryside, where he immersed himself in the art of making fresh pasta, sauces, breads, and desserts at Gioia di Vivere, a school dedicated to macrobiotic and plant-based cooking.
Upon returning home, he began cooking in Manhattan restaurants: Avant Garden and Dirt Candy. In response to the lockdowns of March 2020, he launched a Italian plant-based food service called Mariolino's. He fed over 500 families with his artisanal pasta and Italian specialties. The following year Mario held a fresh pasta workshop at the New York City VegFest & Symposium.
In 2023 and 2024 he served as the Chef De Cuisine for City Roots Hospitality, New York City's leading vegan restaurant group, founded by Chef Guy Vaknin. In this role, he oversaw six restaurant locations along with commissary operations. Mario played a pivotal role in launching critically acclaimed Manhattan restaurants: Anixi and Sentir, as well as developing the menus for Beyond Sushi, Coletta, and Willow.
Every summer he hosts a pop up series called The Eight Eat Experience which is a 3 hour private fine dining event curated for an intimate group of 8 guests. He offers a 7-course menu which is all scratch made, incorporates molecular gastronomy techniques, and showcases special ingredients sourced from his garden. His goal is to revive the communal aspect of the dinner table.
Mario set off on a culinary journey to Italy in 2019, eager to broaden his expertise in plant-based cuisine and explore his Italian heritage. His travels took him to Lucca, a charming town nestled in the Tuscan countryside, where he immersed himself in the art of making fresh pasta, sauces, breads, and desserts at Gioia di Vivere, a school dedicated to macrobiotic and plant-based cooking.
Upon returning home, he began cooking in Manhattan restaurants: Avant Garden and Dirt Candy. In response to the lockdowns of March 2020, he launched a Italian plant-based food service called Mariolino's. He fed over 500 families with his artisanal pasta and Italian specialties. The following year Mario held a fresh pasta workshop at the New York City VegFest & Symposium.
In 2023 and 2024 he served as the Chef De Cuisine for City Roots Hospitality, New York City's leading vegan restaurant group, founded by Chef Guy Vaknin. In this role, he oversaw six restaurant locations along with commissary operations. Mario played a pivotal role in launching critically acclaimed Manhattan restaurants: Anixi and Sentir, as well as developing the menus for Beyond Sushi, Coletta, and Willow.
Every summer he hosts a pop up series called The Eight Eat Experience which is a 3 hour private fine dining event curated for an intimate group of 8 guests. He offers a 7-course menu which is all scratch made, incorporates molecular gastronomy techniques, and showcases special ingredients sourced from his garden. His goal is to revive the communal aspect of the dinner table.
