As a child, chef Martina Caruso was surrounded by the aromas of the great Italian dishes, which her father Michele Caruso, a self-taught chef, would prepare at the family restaurant, Signum. Martina decided to enroll in hotel school and to work alongside her father in the kitchen during the summer holidays. After finishing her studies, chef Martina's first work experience began in Rome with a Gambero Rosso course and a subsequent internship. Next, she joined chef Antonello Colonna at Open Colonna, then Pipero al Rex, and Aeolian to Campania under chef Gennaro Esposito. She also gained experience in kitchens abroad, first with the famous Jamie Oliver in London and then with Pedro Miguel Schiaffino in Lima, Peru. At the age of 23, together with her brother Luca, Martina takes over restaurant Signum, where she works her magic in the kitchen, and Luca takes care of the dining room and hotel management. The chef has been given many awards for her outstanding cuisine: in 2016 her entry into the Red Guide got her a coveted Michelin star. At the same time, she was honoured as the Emerging Chef of Italy by Gambero Rosso and received the Cuoca dell ' Year from Identità Golose. During the year 2019, she won Michelin’s 2019 Best Female Chef Award, which was sponsored by Veuve Clicquot's Atelier des Grandes Dames – an initiative that supports Italian cooks. Recent recognition has come from Forbes Italia, naming her among the 100 most accomplished women of 2020.
“I listen to the territory and follow emotions. For me, cooking is an act of freedom.”
Signum
Malfa Salina (ME), ItalyOn the island of Salina, Restaurant Signum brings together hospitality, identity and a clear respect for the Aeolian landscape. Led by JRE chef Martina Caruso, the restaurant works with nature’s rhythms and a practical commitment to sustainability, with local produce at the centre of the experience. The dining room is elegant, and is supported by the warm service and a serious wine cellar. In the kitchen, Martina Caruso gives Mediterranean cooking a contemporary form. Dishes are structured yet light, built to highlight local aromas and flavours. Tradition remains the starting point, then develops through creativity and precision into plates that feel original, balanced and recognisable.
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