A pinch of Piedmont, a dash of Sicily, a dollop of Veneto … “I love the regional cuisines of Italy because each is so distinctive,” says Matteo Arvonio, who was appointed Chef de Cuisine of Il Teatro at Four Seasons Hotel Doha at the start of 2011. He also ticks off Tuscany and Trentino among locales in which he has enjoyed employment. “So many Italian chefs stick to one region. I have been very fortunate to be able to travel and work around.”

Indeed. Arvonio’s crowded resume reveals 25 restaurant postings over two decades, most across Italy, but also with Four Seasons in Maldives and Mumbai. At the latter, he was appointed opening Chef de Cuisine of cafe PRATO under Executive Chef Giancarlo Di Francesco, who is now reshaping the dining scene in Doha. “I always did a lot of seasonal work: summer at the beach, winter in the mountains or European cities, on and on and on,” he says. “It has been important for me to work with chefs who share their knowledge.”

Perhaps the most significant stop along Arvonio’s rambling path to Doha was a three-year run in Sicily, including two years as sous chef at a Relais & Chateaux property. Many of his current menu items are drawn from the experience, such as pan-seared crisp skin fillet of red snapper with couscous done up Sicilian style in cuttlefish ink, and roast breast of French guinea fowl with sauce of Valrhona chocolate and juniper berries, blending the traditions of north Italy and Sicily in the use of cacao, chocolate with meat.

What originally inspired Arvonio to the kitchen? “I love food. I’m a food lover. I really love food. Wine, travelling, food – those have always been my things.” Growing up in Piedmont, he was encouraged by an uncle who worked in five-star hotels in Milano before moving on to Germany and then Denmark. “By age 13, I already knew what I wanted to do.”

Authenticity has always been key for Arvonio. “So many of our guests have business interests in Italy, so there is no fooling them.” Instead, he dazzles at Il Teatro by refining original recipes with creative presentations and modern cooking techniques – for example, slow cooking with herbs or special marinades at a low temperature for a long period of time to assure all the jus flavour remain inside the food.

Arvonio arrived to find Doha in the midst of a boom, with three or four new restaurants opening each month. Rather than be intimidated, he feels the competition is inspirational. “With so many restaurants, coming up with something to keep us on top is a good challenge,” he says, adding happily, “with Four Seasons quality product and service, that’s where we start.”