Raised in the foot of the alps in Piemonte, Northwest Italy, Chef Matteo Ponti grew up with a deep appreciation for quality produce from the lush landscapes of his region, learning to cook with his mother and father at the tender age of four and in professional kitchens, including an attachment at Chef Fabio Barbaglini’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Caffè Groppi, when he was only 15 years old.

As a culinary student in pursuit of expanding his repertoire and sharing his cooking with the world, Chef Matteo ve ntured throughout Europe into the restaurant and hotel kitchens of Belarus, Malta and France, where he refined his skill for elevating humble ingredients through his forward-thinking approach to cooking.

In 2014, Chef Matteo decided to take his craft to new shores by moving to Singapore, and lent his talent to some of the most popular Italian restaurants in the country. With his unbridled creativity and passion, he currently helms the kitchen at one of Singapore’s finest Italian restaurants, Forlino. At Forlino, he showcases his unique style of cooking which draws inspiration from ‘Mama’s’ classic recipes from his childhood, sustainability, seasonal ingredients and local produce tith contemporary execution.

Forlino, a fine dining Italian establishment situated at One Fullerton with stunning views of the Marina Bay waterfront and iconic Merlion, showcases Chef Matteo’s culinary prowess marrying the greatest regional culinary traditions and gastronomic finds of his homeland with a modern sensibility. With each of his culinary creations, Chef Matteo hopes to tell a memorable and personal story of his own love for Italy, from North to South, land to sea.