Four Seasons Hotel Beijing

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2019
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Executive Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza; The St. Regis Osaka; The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa; The Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai, Pudong; The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing; Il Lido Restaurant & Lounge, Singapore; COVA Pasticceria-Confetteria, Singapore; BICE The Cannery, Singapore; Brunello Restaurant Baglioni Hotel, London; Teca Restaurant, London; Hotel Torre Maure, Milano Marittima, Italy; Grand Hotel Terme, Riolo Terme, Italy; Hotel Senio, Riolo Terme, Italy
  

Birthplace

• Imola, Italy

Education

• Diploma, Istituto Professionale di Stato Per I Servizi Alberghieri E Della Ristorazione, Riolo Terme, Italy

Languages Spoken

• Italian, English

“I believe that it takes modesty for one to reach new heights. Modesty opens a door for us to influence others with passion, and to achieve better results. As perfection doesn’t exist, we can always do better,” says Chef Gianluca Visani when sharing his life philosophy. Visani was born in Imola in Bologna province, Italy. His experience of growing up on a farm with his grandmother has endowed him with an innate sensitivity to the freshness and seasonality of ingredients. He developed a strong interest in cooking when helping his grandmother prepare vegetables and make beef stews and biscotti.  His grandmother’s passion in cooking for the family also had an influence on his trajectory later. For him, family is the place where everything started, and this is reflected in each and every dish crafted by Visani.

Visani started his journey as a chef at the age of 15. He was intrigued by Italian cuisine when studying at the IPSSA culinary school, and later was mentored by the renowned Michelin-starred Chef Marco Torri. From Italy to the UK, from China to Japan, Visani has accumulated diverse culinary experience. “Before creating a dish, I always imagine the different textures, tastes, colours, spices and aromas of various ingredients, and then I draw a picture in my mind to finalize the details about how I’m going to present the dish, he says. “The moment when I see a big smile on the face of a guest, family member or friend is a moment of pure joy and fulfillment. Through food, we create memories that last forever.”

In the summer of 2019, Visani started his journey with Four Seasons at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, bringing new culinary inspirations, and launching inventive dishes that integrate techniques and ingredients from different regions to deliver an ultimate dining experience. Italians pay great attention to the basics. As the Executive Chef, Visani believes that the steps such as evaluating culinary products, considering new dishes, and adjusting and updating culinary operations are always top priorities for novice chefs.

Visani believes that the less processing the better when dealing with the top-quality seasonal ingredients. The tricky part for a chef is how to bring the flavours of ingredients to the next level after the right amount of processing. Previously, Visani successfully led the catering business of multiple international luxury hotels in Asia, and was awarded Chef of the Year by various media outlets. He also brought great changes to Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza. Speaking about the assignment at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing, he immediately recalled the sweet and sour, steaming and stir-frying techniques learned in China. He was excited about returning to Beijing, one of his favourite cities, where he could always discover new things and get inspirations. He echoes with the Hotel’s pursuit for excellence and is ready to open a new chapter with Four Seasons Hotel Beijing by bringing authentic Italian flavours to the next level.