The son of Italian parents, Pier Paolo spent his childhood in the kitchen, watching his mother and grandmother cook every day.

As a young man, he decided to delve deeper into the profession and, at the age of 17, began his internship with chef Alex Atala, at the former Filomena.

In 1997, Pier moved to Europe and worked in several internationally renowned kitchens, such as Mugaritz (Spain) and Guido Ristorante (Italy).

At Guido Ristorante, under the command of the famous chef Guido Alciati, Pier learned to value artisanal products, small producers and the seasonality of each ingredient. He also established a long-standing friendship with the entire Alciati family.

After almost a decade in Europe, Pier returned to Brazil, where he began to run the kitchen at the Emiliano restaurant, Leopolldo Plaza and, later, Café Antique.

The dream of having his own establishment came true in 2007, when Picchi, the chef’s first restaurant, was born.

In 2011, Pier Paolo opened Trattoria Rosticceria Picchi, his second restaurant, offering more informal and affordable food. That same year, he became the first Brazilian to win the Girotonno Festival competition, held by the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners (ICIF).

With his name consolidated as a chef, in 2014, Pier reopened Picchi in a new location. With an even more original approach, he took his kitchen to Regent Park, on Rua Oscar Freire, where it is still located today.