EAT AT MADONNELLA
“Food is my great passion, and my organic garden is the greatest source of inspiration for my cooking. I get most of the ingredients from the garden, and in my kitchen you will try only fresh seasonal plant based dishes, because I like to show guests how interesting and versatile vegetables can be. I feel there is a lot of prejudice against “greens”, especially in Italy.” — Mariangela. Our garden, like everything else, is organic and designed to provide harmony and biodiversity, and to create a varied and engaging experience for the palate.
Most of the products you will enjoy when staying with us come from Madonnella: from our extra virgin olive oil, to the eggs, jams and sourdough bread I prepare with a 300 years old “mother” (starter), to our cakes which comes from the recipes of our mums and grandmas.What we buy, we buy from local producers; Cheese, artisan beers, wines and local produce find their way to us from nearby producers we personally know and respect.Every single ingredient at Madonnella has been vetted and carefully selected by me. And I’m not easy to please!
Private lunches, dinners, or breakfasts for groups of minimum 10 adults. These gatherings are designed for families or friends who wish to enjoy a seasonal menu inspired by our garden in an intimate countryside setting.
Event-based collaborative dining events open to the public. Each experience is created in partnership with local and international chefs and takes place in nature, with a shared menu designed for that specific date.
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner available for guests staying at Madonnella. Meals are prepared upon reservation and based on what is growing in our garden and available from local producers.
MEET THE KITCHEN TEAM
Mariangela - Founder & Creative Soul
“Food is my great passion, and my organic garden is the greatest source of inspiration for my cooking.” For Mariangela, everything begins in the orto. Each morning, the garden offers its guidance — what is ripe, what is fragrant, what asks to be gathered. Most of the ingredients that arrive at the table come directly from this living, breathing ecosystem, cultivated organically to encourage harmony, biodiversity, and balance.
Her cuisine is entirely seasonal and plant-based, not as a statement, but as a celebration. She loves to reveal how vibrant, generous, and deeply satisfying vegetables can be — gently challenging the prejudice that often surrounds “greens,” especially in Italy.
Having worked in renowned vegetable gardens in London and organized lievito madre gatherings and food experiences in Rome, Mariangela’s path has always been rooted in authenticity, sharing, and community. For her, cooking is an act of care — from seed to plate — and an invitation to rediscover the pleasure of simplicity.
Valentina - Pastry Chef & Wine Connoisseur
Valentina brings refinement, curiosity, and a quiet elegance to Madonnella’s kitchen. A trained pastry chef with years of experience in celebrated cafés such as Marigold and restaurants across Italy, she combines technical skill with sensitivity to flavor and texture.
Her desserts are thoughtful and balanced — never excessive, always harmonious — reflecting the same respect for quality and seasonality that defines Madonnella’s philosophy. As a passionate wine connoisseur, she also delights in pairing flavors and creating subtle dialogues between food and glass.
Where Mariangela listens to the garden, Valentina listens to nuance — sweetness, acidity, aroma — transforming each meal into a gentle crescendo that lingers.
