Nadia Santini, an Italian female chef best known as the first female Italian chef to receive three Michelin stars, has died at 72.
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According to La Provincia Cremona, Santini’s death was announced by her family via Instagram on Nov. 2.
“Nadia, surrounded by her loved ones, has passed away peacefully and ascended to heaven,” the post read. “She has traced a deep groove in our lives aimed at sensitivity, empathy and love. We are grateful to her for having educated us to moral rigor, work ethic and simplicity. Thank You Nadia, Thank You Mom.”
Santini is best known for being the chef at Dal Fisherman at Runate, a trattoria owned by the family of her husband Antonio.
According to Ansa, she learned how to cook from her mother-in-law Bruna — she never attended culinary school or had any formal training.
Over time, she developed a cooking style she called “humanistic.” It was defined by heating, respect for ingredients, and a deep attention to people.
She won her first Michelin star in 1982. The second followed in 1988, and the third in 1996. In 2013, she was named “World’s Best Female Chef” as Part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards.
Dal Fisherman is still a family business; Santini’s son Giovanni will serve as chef, and her other son Alberto runs the dining room.
“With the passing of Nadia Santini, we lose a unique figure—someone who knew how to interpret local produces through a style of cooking that, rooted in the flavors and traditions the Mantua area, go on to captivate the world,” regional minister Alessandro Beduschi said in a statement.