Lorenzo Polegri
Chef in Orvieto

• 1984: Graduates from the “Istituto Tecnico per Geometri” (Technical Institute for Land Surveyors) in Orvieto.
• 1984/1988 Attends Università della Tuscia (Tuscia University) in Viterbo, department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literature.
  Manages the family farm with his father Lucio: vineyards, olive trees, grains and vegetables.
  Pursues his great passion for the historical cuisine of his land. Starts his verbal and written research by talking to local people and by reading family writings.
• 1987-1993: Becomes manager in the Coldiretti, the most important farmers’ trade unions in Italy, Terni Federation involved in the social and economic sector.
  Obtains experience and conducts studies in rural economics, social policies, agrarian law.
  Teaches professional retraining courses to farmers in the sectors of olive oil production and marketing, experimental truffle cultivation, typical local products, new vineyard planting techniques, organic farming, and farm holidays (agriturismo) as a valid way of supplementing the farming families’ income. He also deals with the European Community regulations regarding livestock and European Community aid.
• 1987- 1991: Competes as a bodybuilder in regional and national competitions. Conducts studies and attends seminars regarding the proper diet for athletes and workers, energy needs, use and abuse of steroids, fitness motivation.
• 1990: Opens his first restaurant, “Funky”, in Orvieto’s old town center: chef and pastry cook.
• 1992- 1994: Consults in the United States: establishes lasting contacts with different types of Italian restaurants in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.; teaches Italian cooking workshops at the YWCA in Ridgewood, New Jersey; in New York, collaborates artistically with photographers in the food and beverage field.
• 1993: Opens “Wunderbar”, café specialized in gastronomy and delicatessen.
  Cooks in Athens, Greece at restaurant “ Spiros”.
• 1995: Opens “Ristorante Zeppelin”, a restaurant located in a 16th century building located in the old town center of Orvieto, his current “work base” for experimental and local cuisine.
• 1996: Antigua and West Indies, studies and experiences in Creole cuisine and the use of different spices at the “Red Alcyon Cove”.
• 1998: Teaches and consults for cooking workshops for: Gulliver’s T.A. London; Stravagario Viaggi, Orvieto; “The Art Institute of Houston”, Houston Texas; “The Epicurean” Cooking School, Aspen Colorado. Publishes his recipes in the La Nazione newspaper.
• 2000: “Ristorante Zeppelin” is listed in the Gambero Rosso Ristoranti d’ Italia restaurant guide.
  Founds the Istituto di Arte Culinaria “Marchesa Adele Viti” (“Marchesa Adele Viti” Culinary Art Institute), dedicated to the chef’s great-grandmother
• 2000: January, at Aiken, South Carolina, USA, chef in charge of the Orvieto-Aiken twin cities program. Prepares two large medieval banquets and holds conferences on Orvieto cuisine; teaches workshops in Houston, Texas, at “ The Art Institute of Houston” as part of the “Truffle Tour 2000”; gala dinner at the “Simposio”, “Best Restaurant in Houston 1998”, owned by Chef Alberto Baffoni.
  June, Florence, “Villa Il Poggiolo” participates in the making a food and tourism documentary for the International Travel Channel in New York.
  July, along with D.V. Media of Vancouver, Canada, makes the film-documentary about medieval and modern Orvieto cuisine with the title “Cucina Revista” for the “Food Channel Network” of New York, which was also a candidate for the James Beard Awards in 2001.
  Teaches professional retraining courses for the Region of Umbria for businessmen and professionals at the Professional Training school of Orvieto.
• 2001: April/May, leading chef at the “Italian Food Festival” at the United Nations headquarters in New York held at the Delegates Dining Room; coordinates the Italian team and is in charge of the à la carte menu; cooks personally for the Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan.
  At the United Nations headquarters he teaches Orvieto cooking workshops to students of the “Culinary Institute of America” and of “The New School” in New York.
  Starts professional collaboration with “Restaurant Associates”, leader in catering in the United States along with Chef Edward Lake, Executive Chef at the United Nations.
  Teaches full immersion courses in cooking and pastry at Monroe, Michigan, at the “Dolcevita” restaurant.
  Appearances and publications in 2001: publications in Progress International USA, April 2001; Gambero Rosso Ristoranti d’Italia restaurant guide; Cucina e Vini (Cooking and Wines), May 2001; Capital Magazine, April 2001; La Nazione national newspaper, May 2001; La Città, regional magazine, March and June 2001.
  Appearances on the Italian Radio and Television Corporation programs “RAI International TV”, May 2001; “RAI Unomattina”, May 2001; and “RAI Unomattina Estate”, September 2001.
  
• 2002: January, the Zeppelin restaurant receives excellent review in the restaurant guide, Gambero Rosso Ristoranti d’Italia.
  February, at the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo (BIT International Tourism Fair) in Milan, the chef presents the new brochure of the “Marchesa Adele Viti” Culinary Institute, which has just obtained the sponsorship of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests.
  May, the monthly magazine Fuoricasa writes that “Ristorante Zeppelin” is the up-and-coming restaurant in Umbria.
  May, “Tentazioni Teatrali” (Theater Temptations) works in collaboration with Teatro Mancinelli of Orvieto, a combination of cuisine, music and theater with the participation of the Italian actor Paolo Rossi.
  June, begins his artistic collaboration with a group of independent American painters led by Steven McCallum of Sarasota, Florida, to carry out experimental sensorial cooking and painting courses.
• 2003: February and March, teaches cooking classes to The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, UCLA University, Michigan University, during the Alumni Campus Abroad AHI Chicago, Classes to the Cooking Club of America and publishing of the experience in the magazine.
• 2003: August and September, appears on the Italian National television station Tg5 in their program “Gusto” with Umbrian and Orvietan recipes; review in the A Tavola magazine.
• 2003: October, prepares tasting of historical/experimental cuisines: Etruscan, ancient Roman, Medieval, 20th century, and modern, served at the Emilio Greco Museum in Orvieto in collaboration with Slow Food and the Associazione Sistema Museo (Museum System Association) with the participation of the culinary art historian Prof. Tommaso Lucchetti.
• 2003, December, the magazine “ La Città” publishes an interview with Lorenzo’s personal Chef service as the most updated catering and banqueting proposals.
• 2004, January, the Zeppelin restaurant receives excellent reviews in the following restaurant guides: L’Espresso (Italy), Gambero Rosso (Italy), Lonely Planet (USA, Australia, U.K.), BMW (Italy-Germany), Geoguide (France, Belgium).
• 2004 publication on «Itinerari Travel» bimonthly publishing house Avant Garde with excellent critical review of restaurants and cooking schools.
• 2004 publication on specialised journal month of October «Great Cooking & Wine» with excellent critical review of restaurants and cooking schools.
• 13 January 2005 Chef Lorenzo cooks for the first time at «James Beard Foundation» of New York, «James Beard House» with the gala dinner «A taste of Umbria, a touch of Orvieto». This is the first of many return visits, being the most celebrated European chef at the James Beard House.
• 14 January 2005 the Chef Lorenzo Polegri has been invited by the «Italian Culinary Institute – La Cucina Italiana Magazine” of New York, for a seminary of Orvieto cooking with dinner of gala.
  Starts partnership in education with the Community College of Rhode Island and Kansas State University. Starts hosting internships with students from Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales University.
• 2007 Becomes expert of Italian Cuisine for The Art Institutes of America. Offers culinary trips and events; helps create a DVD series for students The Italian Recipes for the Professional along with Chef Joe Bonaparte and Chef Michael Nenes.
• 2008 Ireland: Incorporates with Oyster Circle luxury catering services and cooking classes; Dublin and Cork, cooperates with the Mercer Group Hotels, teaching Italian cuisine at the Cork International Airport Hotel; teaches cooking courses at Belle Isle School of Cookery, Enniskillen, with TV3 culinary programs.
• September 2008, Chef Lorenzo becomes in charge as director of the new “Monini Culinary Center” in Spoleto, running culinary programs including cooking courses, wine courses, extra virgin olive oil tasting and history of Italian cooking.
• November 2008, Chef Lorenzo is in the USA and Canada for a new culinary tour presenting the MCC “Monini Culinary Center” at the Bedford Village Inn, as a guest Chef for the final dinner of the Celebrity Chef Series 2008. prepares fund raising dinner for scholarship and Gala Dinner at Johnson & Wales University; performs cooking classes at Draeger’s Cooking Schools in San Mateo and Blackhawk; cooks Thanksgiving Dinner at the James Beard House as a guest of The International Culinary School at the Art Institutes of America; cooks in Montreal at Mount Stephen Club for annual fund raising for the Italian Canadian Foundation.
• January 2009, Chef Lorenzo hosts the first “Quarter Abroad of Culinary Arts in Orvieto” at his restaurant “Zeppelin” with the The International Culinary School at the Art Institutes of America, a three month program in cooperation with the Region of Umbria and Professional Training; Instructor of Classic European Cuisine and World Cuisine. This is a unique program in Italy where students obtain an Italian Government Diploma of “Italian Cuisine Expert”.
• March 2009, Monini Culinary Center, hosts culinary week course with the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, along with Chef Roberta Dowling.
• March 2010, Chef Lorenzo was a guest chef at The White House invited by Chef Edwin Schölly.