This year, Casa Angelina celebrates two decades on the Amalfi Coast, anchoring Praiano as the top hotel in town. At the heart of the destination’s offering is its Michelin-starred restaurant, Un Piano nel Cielo, led by Executive Chef Leopoldo Elefante. Here, nearly all produce is sourced from Casa Angelina’s own gardens and farms onsite, perched just above the hotel on steep, jagged hills.
With the guidance of agronomist Patrizia Esposito, the daily harvest defines the rhythm of the kitchen, shaping menus that honor seasonality with sincerity. Dishes like Verdant Sweetness from the vegetarian tasting menu, Salted Cod tempura with fresh garden vegetables, and Tortello Genovese with Capon, Provolone del Monaco, and Black Truffle reflect Elefante’s philosophy—reinterpreting the soul of Amalfi tradition through a contemporary lens.
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
Each course is crafted as part of a poetic journey, layered with nostalgia, surprise, and emotion, paired seamlessly with the restaurant’s panoramic views that stretch from Positano to Capri.
With Casa Angelina unveiling new design-driven suites by Paola Lenti, including the Azure and Vermarine rooms, the property continues to evolve while staying true to its essence of intimacy, beauty, and authenticity.
Whitewall spoke with Elefante about balancing modernity and memory, why “ingredient sincerity” guides every dish, and what the future of fine dining on the Amalfi Coast looks like.
Rooted in Tradition, Grown with Sustainability
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
WHITEWALL: Your Michelin-starred cuisine at Un Piano nel Cielo is rooted in the flavors of the Amalfi Coast. How would you describe your approach to reinterpreting local tradition through a modern lens?
LEOPOLDO ELEFANTE: I think of tradition not as something static, but as a foundation—alive and breathing. I grew up surrounded by the aromas of the coast, where lemons, tomatoes, anchovies, and fresh herbs were part of daily life. At Un Piano nel Cielo, I take those memories and ingredients and reinterpret them with modern techniques and a deep respect for their origins. It’s about elevating simplicity with precision, while still letting the soul of each dish shine through. My goal is not to copy tradition, but to evoke it with lightness and clarity, to distill it through a contemporary lens while keeping its soul intact. Modernity doesn’t mean erasing the past—it means listening to it in a new way.
WW: Casa Angelina’s farm plays a central role in your menu. How does growing your own produce on-site impact your relationship with ingredients and seasonality? What’s offered on the menu?
LE: There is nothing quite like walking through our garden in the morning with Patrizia Esposito, our agronomist, and seeing what nature has gifted us that day. It keeps me grounded. You understand the true rhythm of the land, and that naturally defines the rhythm of our kitchen. Many of our dishes—from the “Verdant Sweetness” in the vegetarian menu to the garden vegetables accompanying the Salted Cod tempura—celebrate this direct connection. It adds freshness, a sense of place, and even emotion to every plate. It brings an immediacy and truthfulness to the plate—what I call “ingredient sincerity.”
” We choose local producers not only for quality, but because they share our values.”
-Leopoldo Elefante
WW: Sourcing locally and sustainably is increasingly important in fine dining. Of what importance is this to you and your culinary practice? It’s not just important—it’s who we are. Today, I see my role not just as a chef, but as a guardian of the territory.
LE: Each ingredient we choose represents a pact—with the land, with the sea, and with the artisans who cultivate and fish respectfully. We choose local producers not only for quality, but because they share our values. When we serve a dish, we’re also telling the story of these producers, these micro-communities who keep the soul of Campania alive.
Staying True to Italy’s Culinary Heart
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
WW: The experience at Un Piano nel Cielo is as much about emotion as it is about taste. What kind of sensory or narrative journey do you aim to create for your guests? What is the story of the menu?
LE: I see the menu as a poetic journey through the Amalfi Coast—each course is like a stanza, telling a part of the story. There is nostalgia, like in the “Raviolo di Pasta Cotta” with Piennolo tomato sauce that reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking. And then there is surprise, like the raspberry, coffee, and black garlic dessert that plays with unexpected contrasts. The view, the light, the music—all come together to create a moment that is sensory and soulful. It’s emotional, yes—but also disciplined, elegant, and sober. Like our home, it speaks softly and leaves a lasting impression.
“Guests don’t remember only what they ate—they remember how they felt.”
-Leopoldo Elefante
WW: With a Michelin star comes visibility and responsibility. How do you view your role within the larger landscape of Italian gastronomy today?
LE: Recognition brings a spotlight, yes—but it also brings the duty to represent Italy in all its richness and complexity. I want to show that fine dining can be elegant and expressive without losing its roots. Italian cuisine is often misunderstood abroad as being just traditional or rustic. In reality, it is one of the most refined, layered, and identity-driven culinary cultures in the world. The star is not a finish line—it’s a mirror. It reflects who we are, and reminds us to stay true to our essence while continuing to evolve.
WW: What do you think earned the restaurant its Michelin star?
LE: I believe it came from a combination of things: an obsessive attention to detail, an unrelenting drive for perfection, and above all, a deep respect for ingredients and the people behind them. But at the heart of it all is something more invisible: the emotional charge behind the work. Guests don’t remember only what they ate—they remember how they felt. And that’s what we aim to leave them with: something they carry with them, quietly, like a memory that lingers.
Exploring Purity and the Future of Fine Dining with Chef Leopoldo Elefante
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
WW: You’ve worked across Italy and now helm one of the most acclaimed kitchens on the Amalfi Coast. What ideas or techniques are you currently exploring? Where is your focus heading next?
LE: Lately, I have been drawn to clarity and purity. I am refining techniques that allow ingredients to shine without excess—like the way we treat fish or herbs with minimal manipulation. I am also collaborating with our talented Pastry Chef Michele Di Leva, who brings an artistic finesse and fresh vision to our sweet offerings. Together, we are exploring how dessert can become a continuation of the savory journey, rather than just an ending.
WW: What do you hope guests take away from dining at Un Piano nel Cielo—about how they think about food, place, and the future of fine dining?
LE: I hope they leave with a sense of peace, beauty, and belonging. That they’ve tasted something rooted in this territory, but expressed in a way they didn’t expect. We’re not interested in luxury as excess—we’re interested in luxury as depth, as presence, as care. That’s the future of fine dining, I think: conscious, emotional, and beautifully simple.
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
WW: What’s your favorite thing on the menu right now?
LE: I am especially proud of our Tortello Genovese with Capon, Provolone del Monaco and Black Truffle—it captures comfort and elegance in one bite. And I always have a soft spot for our crudo platter. It’s pure sea, pure light.
WW: Where do you like to eat when you’re not in the kitchen?
LE: I love humble places—trattorie where the focus is on honest cooking. When I have time, I escape to the hills around Avellino or the fishermen’s coves near Cetara. Simple anchovies on bread, a glass of local wine, and good company—that’s heaven.
WW: What are you working on next?
LE: We are refining a new series of seasonal tasting menus inspired by local artists and coastal folklore. The idea is to create an immersive, multisensory experience that goes beyond food. There’s a lot still in development, but I’m excited to see it come to life in the coming months.
Courtesy of Chef Leopoldo Elefante and Casa Angelina.
