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A Conversation With Jessica Rosval, The Montrealer Who Was Just Named Top Female Chef In Italy
At 35, Jessica Rosval has been named female chef of the year in the Guida Dell’Espresso; a coveted guide to the best restaurants in Italy.
Jessica grew up in Montreal Canada, but in Modena Italy, 6300 km from home, is where her culinary career really took off.
It was a 12-course tasting at Osteria Francescana; Massimo Bottura’s three-star Michelin restaurant that introduced her to regional Italian cuisine and evoked an emotional experience that stayed with her as she made admirable strides in her career. Today Jessica is head chef at Casa Maria Luigia; a bed and breakfast under Bottura’s brand.
We pulled her away from the kitchen to get to know her and learn more about her inspiration for all things food-related.
What does the title of top female chef of 2021 mean to you?
I’m honoured and humbled by the award but I 100% share it with my entire team. There’s a huge group of people that started building Casa Maria Luigia in 2019. Yes, I’m the chef but it takes a village to build…