Nicholas Stefanelli

Nicholas Stefanelli is an American chef and restaurateur in Washington, D.C., known for his Michelin-starred Italian restaurant Masseria.[2]

For the Argentine footballer, see Nicolás Stefanelli.
Nicholas Stefanelli
Born
Maryland
Education
  • DeMatha Hyattsville, Maryland
  • L’academic de Cuisine, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Culinary career
Cooking styleItalian
Rating(s)
Current restaurant(s)
    • Masseria
    • Officina
    • Le Clou
Previous restaurant(s)
    • Bibiana (2009-2014)
    • Fiamma (2007-2009)
    • Maestro (2003-2007)
    • Laboratorio del Galileo (2001-2003)
Award(s) won
Websitemasseria-dc.com

Early life

Born in Maryland, Stefanelli is of Greek and Italian descent, with family from the Apulia region of southern Italy.[3] He was an aspiring baseball player at DeMatha Catholic High School in Washington, D.C., until he broke his foot.[4][5] After high school, he went to Italy to pursue a career in fashion in Milan, but he became interested in the food he encountered in Rome, Florence, Assisi, and Venice.[6] After realizing his passion for cooking, he enrolled in L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland and joined the kitchen of Roberto Donna at Italian restaurant Galileo in Washington, D.C.[4] He then went to work for Fabio Trabocchi at Maestro in Tysons Corner, Virginia, following Trabocchi to Fiamma in New York City.[6] After Fiamma closed in 2009, Stefanelli worked a stage at The French Laundry in California.[4]

In 2009, Stefanelli was recruited by restaurateur Ashok Bajaj to return to D.C. to develop a menu and lead the kitchen at a new Italian restaurant, Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca.[7] Bibiana received many positive reviews upon opening,[8] and it was recognized as one of the best new restaurants in America by Esquire magazine.[9] Stefanelli won the title of "Rising Culinary Star" at the 2010 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (Rammy) Awards.[10]

Masseria and Officina

In 2014, Stefanelli left Bibiana to open his own restaurant, called Masseria.[11] Named for the agricultural estates in Italy's Apulia region, Masseria opened in August 2015 and was Union Market's first standalone restaurant.[12] In October 2016, Masseria earned a Michelin Star within the city's first-ever guide.[13] In 2018, Masseria won the Rammy Award for Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.[14]

In October 2018, Stefanelli opened Officina, a three-floor Italian trattoria, café, and market located in The Wharf, a new development on Washington's Southwest Waterfront.[15][16] In November 2018, Stefanelli announced plans to open a Greek restaurant in downtown Washington, DC.[17]

Awards
  • 2010 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMMY), Rising Culinary Star.[10]
  • 2017 Michelin Star 1 star (Masseria), the Michelin Guide.[18]
  • 2018 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMMY), Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year (Masseria).[19]

References
  1. "12 DC Restaurants Earn Michelin Stars | Washingtonian (DC)". 13 October 2016.
  2. Sanson, Michael (February 1, 2011). "Nicholas Stefanelli". Restaurant Hospitality. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  3. Marchetti, Domenica (2015-12-10). "Give the sugar a rest: These holiday snacks have savory Italian flair". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  4. Greeley, Alexandra (November 5, 2009). "Unique path, unique food: Chef goes from baseball to fashion to food". Washington Examiner.
  5. Carman, Tim (August 5, 2015). "Amy Brandwein and Nick Stefanelli among the chefs in this year's Capital Food Fight". The Washington Post.
  6. Marchetti, Domenica (June 6, 2011). "Q & A with Bibiana Executive Chef Nick Stefanelli". Domenica Cooks. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  7. Sidman, Jessica (September 4, 2009). "An Early Look at Bibiana". Washingtonian Magazine.
  8. Cerulo, Erica (July 1, 2010). "Restaurant Review: Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca in Washington, D.C." The New York Times.
  9. Mariani, John (October 18, 2010). "Best New Restaurants: Bibiana". Esquire Magazine.
  10. Dusty Lockhart (June 11, 2010). "2010 RAMMY Winners". Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  11. Sietsema, Tom (2014-12-10). "Former Bibiana chef Nicholas Stefanelli to open Masseria near Union Market". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  12. Krystal, Becky (2015-07-15). "Union Market is about to get its first standalone restaurant in Nick Stefanelli's Masseria". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  13. Sidman, Jessica (2016-10-13). "12 DC Restaurants Earn Michelin Stars". Washingtonian. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  14. Jessica Sidman; Anna Spiegel (June 10, 2018). "Here Are the Winners of Washington's 2018 RAMMY Awards". Washingtonian Magazine.
  15. Spiegel, Anna (October 16, 2018). "Eat Your Way From Market to Rooftop at the Wharf's New Italian "Culinary Complex"". Washingtonian Magazine.
  16. Stephens, Regan (November 2, 2018). "Inside Washington, D.C.'s Massive New Tri-Level Italian Food Emporium". Food & Wine.
  17. Hiatt, Gabe (November 20, 2018). "The D.C. Chef Who Wants to Revolutionize Greek Food in America". Eater.
  18. "MICHELIN Guide Washington 2017 : 12 restaurants earn stars". The Michelin Guide. No. 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  19. "Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington Announces 2018 RAMMY Award Winners". Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. June 10, 2018.
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