Biography 

Daniele Chiari, born and raised in Genzano di Roma, a town in the Castelli Romani, has been an emigrant across various countries for almost two decades. His culinary journey began in 2000 at the “Forno a Legna da Sergio,” his uncle’s renowned bakery in Genzano. Following this, he honed his skills in local trattorias in his small Roman village.

 

His career as a professional chef took off at the prestigious Grand Hotel St. Regis and Hotel De Russie of the “Rocco Forte” chain in Rome. In 2006, driven by a strong determination and a desire to explore the world, the young chef moved to Holland, where he spent three years working at “Roberto’s” restaurant in the Amsterdam Hilton hotel.

 

In 2009, Daniele made his mark in the Emirates with the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah hotel, where he opened his first restaurant, “Il Piacere Del Gusto.” He returned to Europe for a summer season, working at “L’Osteria del Mare,” a restaurant owned by Gennaro Gattuso in Monte Carlo.

 

In the winter of 2011, Daniele embarked on a new project with Marriott Hotels in Doha, Qatar, where he managed a traditional Italian trattoria for a year. With his strong Italian and international culinary background, he took on his first role as Executive Chef in 2013 in Kazakhstan, where he opened the country’s first 5-star resort (Rixos Hotels) for the Kazakh President.

 

In 2015, Daniele moved to Belarus, where he served as Executive Chef at the Renaissance Marriott in Minsk. Over two years, he built a local team capable of meeting the culinary needs of the country. Following this, he spent a year as a culinary consultant for various hotels and restaurants in Kazakhstan and the Seychelles, preparing himself for an exciting new experience in the Middle East.

 

At the end of 2017, Daniele arrived in Saudi Arabia, where he continues to serve as the chef for the Royal Protocol’s hospitality and catering. He leads an international team of chefs responsible for official government events, including lunches for international heads of state, Islamic conferences, Arab summits, GCC summits, and other significant political events of the Saudi government.

 

Today, Daniele lives and works in Riyadh, where he resides with his wife Ardana and their three sons, Samuele, Mansur, and Rayyan Leonardo.

 

“His cuisine is original, distinct, and enriched by the myriad nuances of Mediterranean, Arab, and Asian culinary traditions—a cuisine that bridges Europe and Asia. He believes in tradition, development, and renewal, which together elevate flavors, quality, and quantity.”

 

Key Culinary Missions:

 

    •    2015-2016: While at the Renaissance Hotel in Minsk, Belarus, Daniele organized meals for top football clubs such as Barcelona, Spain, PSV, Porto, Fiorentina, and Leverkusen. He also participated in the UN70 Belarus Express for Sustainable Development Goals, a collaborative effort between the United Nations and the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations.

    •    2018: Daniele was in charge of meals for the Islamic Country Summit in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He also managed the catering for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Summit in Riyadh.

    •    2019: He led the kitchen for the Arab and Islamic Summit in Makkah and organized catering for events during the visits of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia.

    •    2020: Daniele was the chef in charge of meals for the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Riyadh. During the pandemic, he authored his first culinary book, “The Taste of My Steps.”

    •    2022: He organized the catering for the Arab and GCC Summit with the presence of U.S. President Joe Biden in Jeddah, and later for the Arab League and GCC Summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Riyadh.

 

From 2018 until today, Daniele has been responsible for catering events during Ramadan and Hajj in Makkah.