Stefano Fontanesi, 46, was born in Lombardy but has lived in the region between Liguria and Tuscany. He is the executive chef of the Dinarobin Hotel Golf and Spa on the island of Mauritius, a five-star hotel owned by the Beachcomber group, the leading group in the area with hotels in Seychelles and another to open within two years in Morocco. The hotel in Morocco is an especially ambitious project, as the structure will be eco-friendly.

Fontanesi was married on the island of Mauritius and has two children. He now manages a staff of 160 people, working for the rich and famous, who frequently choose Mauritius not only as a honeymoon destination, but as the site for their wedding, a practice which has become common among the English.

Before arriving in Mauritius the chef had other pursuits. As a master mariner, he served in the military on the Andrea Doria. Then, when he was 25, he began his profession in the restaurant industry by opening a place in Siena “La Bottega del 30” which has earned a Michelin star. While the restaurant still exists, Stefano is no longer a partner. After that he founded a co-op of services in the Chianti region. He managed the cinema, the pool and the theatre, and employed 80 people. His desire to travel, however, prevailed

After a few years he secured his first overseas job in Bermuda, where he opened a restaurant for another Italian. He returned to Italy to take part in the opening of a luxury hotel in Tuscany. There, one of the American chefs taught him the secrets of the trade. He didn’t stop there. Stefano worked in Dubai as a chef in the Italian restaurant “Ponte Vecchio,” which in its first year hosted more than 25 thousand guests. After that came a phone call from a recruiting agency for a position in Mauritius. It was 1996. But before he arrived in Dinarobin (Arab for “not sure”) he opened the Italian restaurant “La Palma” in the Paradise Hotel, another five-star hotel in the Beachcomber group. Finally, he went to the hotel where he works today close to where his house was.

You’ve lived in Mauritius for fourteen years. Do you plan on staying?

“Yes. It’s not too bad a place and I’ve got my family here. I’m married to a Mauritian.”

Tell us about Mauritius.

It’s a very romantic place, still pure, where you can spot whales passing in the crystal waters, and the difference between summer and winter is only about six degrees. Summers are very humid, but in winter temperatures rarely fall below 25 degrees. It is in a volcanic zone and you can find craters of extinguished volcanoes. You live in close contact with people of different religions and cultures. In Mauritius, in fact, they celebrate Christmas, Easter, Shiva, Ramadan and Chinese New Year. The official languages are English and French, but there is also talk of teaching Creole, which has French roots, though it’s difficult even for our French-speaking neighbors.

How are the connections with home?

Fantastic. Especially by plane. Lots of airline companies provide service here. There is an 11 hour flight to Milan twice a week, two daily flights to Paris and flights to Dubai.

Other points worth mentioning?

Health insurance, as with education, is available to everyone. What’s more, almost all of the doctors are trained at the top American and European universities.

And the Mauritians?

They are hospitable, polite and in some ways similar to Italians; they adore their families and they adore eating in company.

Other places to visit?

Rodrigues Island. It’s a true paradise which offers visitors gorgeous beaches at reasonable prices, and lots of opportunities for water sport and excursions. The nature here is unrefined, where diving brings you in contact with turtles and other sea life. Tourism has made a minimal impact because it is far from the usual tourist routes. Situated 560 kilometers from Mauritius, it is accessible by a single daily Air Mauritius flight and by three weekly sailings by ship. Rodrigues Island remains an uncontaminated world with plenty to discover. The coral barrier, which almost entirely surrounds the island, creates wonderful turquoise lagoons ideal for scuba enthusiasts who wish to take in the underwater beauty, one of the most diverse populations of fish, turtles and magnificent colored gorgonia off the coast of Point Coton, Point Roche Noire, Point Palmiste and Baladiruo and near Point aux Cornes. Idyllic white sand beaches characterize the coast of Rodrigues; Pointe Coton, St Francois, Baladirou and Petit Gravier are among the more spectacular beaches. The southern coast offers fantastic opportunities for windsurfing and parasailing thanks to over 200 square kilometers of lagoon (Twice the size of the island!) and steady winds.

And yet you say even this can get old.

I miss Italy, the language, the four seasons. I dream of cold. Snow. The need for change is in my DNA. Do you know what I dreamed of as a child?

What?

I dreamed of sailing. My idol was Jacques Cousteau.

Could a place like Maruitius make you lazy?

I wish. I work fourteen hours a day.

Who knows if Stefano will remain in Mauritius forever. For the time being he is satisfied making virtual excursions to Italy from his kitchen, mixing Chianti with dishes of vanilla and papaya. The cuisine he creates is international, not just Italian. But there are ample offerings from Tuscany, and the Chianti region.

Interview by Cinzia Ficco

cinzia.ficco@virgilio.it