Passionate Italian chef who fell in love with Shrewsbury wins top UK restaurant award
An Italian restaurant in Shropshire is celebrating winning a top national award from the most discerning of judges - fellow Italians.
Alessandro Degiorgio took the top prize of Best Chef 2023 at The Italian Awards final - dubbed the Oscars of Italian catering - from none other than celebrity chef Aldo Zilli.
"When they announced that we had won I stood on the table with my hands on the air and gave a massive shout," said Mr Degiorgio, of the Osteria restaurant in Mardol, Shrewsbury.
"I made a very passionate speech and Mr Zilli hugged me and said well done. It gave me goosebumps."
Mr Degiorgio went to the awards ceremony in Leeds with a large team of many of the 24 people employed at the restaurant, which only opened in August 2022.
The award was clinched with a traditional pork belly recipe which Mr Degiorgio said has been roughly translated into English as '50 shades of pork'.
