Mare Mare

Antonio Bongiorno, an Italian Chef born in Calabria and raised in Liguria in Genoa, is the Chef de Cuisine at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort’s traditional Italian venue – Mare Mare. With over 10 years of culinary experience, his passion and dedication in the world of gastronomy have played a pivotal role in refining his cooking skills, crafting unique delicacies whilst inspiring and leading teams around him. Antonio began his career in Vecchie Ricette Sole E Luna, where he grew his passion for the Italian culinary arts by working as a pizza chef for six years. He then moved to Miseria e Nobiltà, Sole Luna where he supervised a large team of chefs further honing his skills and building connections. He headed back to Milan to work as an Assistant Chef at the Langosteria Café, where he managed a large team with approximately 300 covers daily. In mid-2020, he was offered a seasonal role to train under renowned Chef Marco Pilia at the popular Il Marino di Puntaldia in Sardinia, Italy. By late 2020, Antonio bagged an opportunity to work as the Junior Sous Chef at Il borro Tuscan Bistro and soon moved to Scalini Dubai, where he worked as Sous Chef, impressing all with his expertise in authentic Italian gastronomy. Currently in his role as Chef de Cuisine at Mare Mare, Antonio is not only responsible for creating mouth-watering courses for the property’s guests using Mediterranean flavors– he is also at the head of a diverse team of chefs, is at the fore of conversations with suppliers and is constantly on the lookout for the freshest and seasonal products.