Chef Maurizio Vergara

Chef A Casa a Lecce

Private chef in Salento – Authentic cuisine at home

For over 10 years, I have been bringing the flavours of Salento cuisine directly to homes, villas and private events in Puglia. As a private chef in Salento, I cook for families on holiday, international guests and exclusive events, collaborating with tour operators and international companies.

My menus are created with local and seasonal ingredients, offering a true food and wine experience that combines tradition, conviviality and attention to every detail.

I offer:

Private dinners in villas

Cooking classes in Salento

Food and wine pairings

Large events with Il Pentolo, my special suspended pot for cooking under the stars.

Whether you are looking for an authentic Salento dinner, a hands-on cooking class or an unforgettable event, I will create a tailor-made experience to make your stay in Puglia unique.

Per me la cucina è....

love, passion and respect for raw materials

Ho imparato a cucinare a...

From my mom and working with chefs alongside them enriching my experiences.

Un segreto in cucina...

Top quality raw materials and km 0 of my land

I miei menu

Il Tesoro del Mare - The Treasure of the Sea

ANTIPASTO

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Sgombro affumicato, finocchio e arancia

Cevice di gamberi con lime,cetriolo, cipolla rossa, avocado, pomodori e coriandolo - Prawn ceviche with lime, cucumber, red onion, avocado, tomatoes and coriander

Fave e polpo leggermente scottato alla salsa di Sojia

PRIMO PIATTO

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Sedanini spada e melanzane

Spaghettone in salsa di datterino giallo, mouse di stracciatella e gambero

Risotto agrumato, crumble di agrumi e tartare di scampi - Citrus risotto, citrus crumble and langoustine tartare

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Seppia scottata su humus di ceci e paprika

Trancio di baccala, salsa di patate al rosmarino e cipolla caramellata - Codfish slice, rosemary potato sauce and caramelized onion

Filetto di orata alla mediterranea (cipolla, ciliegino, basilico, origano, pinoli)

DESSERT

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Spumoncino artigianale - Homemade Spumoncino

Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Mediterraneo in Tavola - Mediterranean at the Table

ANTIPASTO

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Crostone di formaggio fresco e capocollo di Martina Franca - Crostone of fresh cheese and capocollo di Martina Franca

Insalata di mare agrumata (arancia, lime, carota e sedano) - Citrusy seafood salad (orange, lime, carrot and celery)

Rollino di Capocollo, caprino, pomodoro secco e rucola - Capocollo roll, goat cheese, sun-dried tomato and rocket

PRIMO PIATTO

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Risotto asparago, guanciale e menta - Risotto asparagus, guanciale and mint

Spaghetto salsa di peperone e polvere di Tarallo - Spaghetto bell pepper sauce and Tarallo powder

Linguine cozze e vongole (anche gluten free) - Linguine mussels and clams (also gluten free)

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Bombette di Martina Franca con caciocavallo podolico e patate a forno - Bombette di Martina Franca with caciocavallo podolico cheese and baked potatoes

Polpo leggermente scottato e purea di fave - Lightly seared octopus and fava bean puree

Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

DESSERT

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Piccola selezione di mignon alla pasta di mandorle (3 pz. per ospite) - Small selection of almond paste mignons (3 pcs. per guest)

Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Spumoncino artigianale - Homemade Spumoncino

Il Gusto della Pizzica - The Taste of Pizzica

ANTIPASTO

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Fave e cicorie - Broad beans and chicory

Pittule - Salento's Pittule

Crostone di formaggio fresco e capocollo di Martina Franca - Crostone of fresh cheese and capocollo di Martina Franca

PRIMO PIATTO

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Orecchiette al sugo e cacio ricotta - Orecchiette with sauce and cacio ricotta cheese

Parmigiana di melanzane, mozzarella e basilico (anche per vegetariano) - Eggplant, mozzarella and basil parmigiana (also for vegetarian)

Sagne n’cannulate alla ricotta forte - Sagne n'cannulate with strong ricotta cheese

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

Polpette al sugo - Meatballs with sauce

Pezzetti di manzo al sugo - Chunks of beef in gravy

DESSERT

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Piccola selezione di mignon alla pasta di mandorle (3 pz. per ospite) - Small selection of almond paste mignons (3 pcs. per guest)

Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Freschezza e Tradizione - Freshness and Tradition

ANTIPASTO

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Pittule salentine - Salento Pittule

Caponata pugliese (melanzane, zucchine, peperoni, ciliegino e olive) - Apulian caponata (eggplant, zucchini, peppers, cherry and olives)

Verdure grigliate, formaggio primosale e olio Evo - Grilled vegetables, primosale cheese and Evo oil

Melanzane con menta, aglio e olio Evo - Eggplant with mint, garlic and Evo oil

PRIMO PIATTO

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Orecchiette pomodoro scattarisciato e cacio ricotta - Orecchiette with tomato scattarisciato and cacio ricotta cheese

Spaghetto alle cozze (anche gluten free) - Spaghetti with mussels (also gluten free)

Sagne n’cannulate alla ricotta forte - Sagne n'cannulate with strong ricotta cheese

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

Polpette al sugo - Meatballs with sauce

Parmigiana di melanzane - Eggplant parmigiana

DESSERT

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Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Spumoncino artigianale - Homemade Spumoncino

Onde di Gusto - Waves of Taste

ANTIPASTO

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Insalata di mare agrumata (arancia, lime, carota e sedano) - Citrusy seafood salad (orange, lime, carrot and celery)

Burratina d'Andria con pomodorini confit, olio al basilico e pane croccante - Burratina d’Andria with roasted cherry tomatoes, basil oil, crispy bread

Pitta di patate rustica (patate, cipolle, capperi, passata, olive nere, pecorino) - Rustic potato pitta (potatoes, onions, capers, passata, black olives, pecorino cheese)

PRIMO PIATTO

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Risotto agrumato, crumble di agrumi e tartare di scampi - Citrus risotto, citrus crumble and langoustine tartare

Orecchiette al grano arso con cime di rapa e pangrattato croccante - Burnt wheat orecchiette with turnip greensn and crunchy breadcrumbs

Maritati, pomodoro scattarisciato, burrata D’Andria e basilico - Maritati, scattarisciato tomato, burrata D'Andria and basil

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Polpo in pignata con patate - Octopus casserole with potatoes

Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

Bombette di Martina Franca con caciocavallo e patate a forno - Bombette di Martina Franca with caciocavallo cheese and baked potatoes

DESSERT

All inclusive

Quello che non ti aspetti - What you don't expect

ANTIPASTO

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Insalata di mare agrumata (arancia, lime, carota e sedano) - Citrusy seafood salad (orange, lime, carrot and celery)

Pitta di patate rustica (patate, cipolle, capperi, passata, olive nere, pecorino) - Rustic potato pitta (potatoes, onions, capers, passata, black olives, pecorino cheese)

Parmigiana di melanzane, mozzarella e basilico - Eggplant, mozzarella and basil parmigiana

PRIMO PIATTO

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Risotto agrumato, crumble di agrumi e tartare di scampi - Citrus risotto, citrus crumble and langoustine tartare

Sedanini di pesce spada e melanzane - Sedanini pieces of swordfish and aubergines

Orecchiette con cime di rapa e cozze - Orecchiette pasta with turnip greens and mussels

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

All inclusive

Filetto di tonno alla salentina (cipolla, ciliegino, basilico, origano, pinoli) - Salento-style tuna fillet (onion, cherry, basil, oregano, pine nuts)

Trancio di baccalà in olio cottura, erbe mediterranee, salsa di patate al rosmarino, cipolla caramellata - Cod slice in cooking oil, Mediterranean herbs, rosemary potato sauce caramelized onion

Tagliata di manzo con patate al forno - Beef tagliata with baked potatoes

DESSERT

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Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Spumoncino artigianale - Homemade Spumoncino

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Sole, Vento e Sapori - Sun, Wind and Tastes

ANTIPASTO

All inclusive

Cozze gratinate - Mussels gratin

Melanzane con menta, aglio e olio Evo - Eggplant with mint, garlic and Evo oil

Pittule - Salento's Pittule

PRIMO PIATTO

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Orecchiette con cime di rape - Orecchiette pasta with turnips

Spaghetto alle cozze (anche gluten free) - Spaghetti with mussels (also gluten free)

Risotto agrumato, crumble di agrumi e tartare di scampi - Citrus risotto, citrus crumble and langoustine tartare

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Filetto di orata alla salentina (cipolla, ciliegino, basilico, origano, pinoli) - Salento-style fillet of sea bream (onion, cherry, basil, oregano, pine nuts)

Polpo in pignata con patate - Octopus in pignata with potatoes

Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

DESSERT

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Spumoncino artigianale - Homemade Spumoncino

Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Long Friendship Lunch

ANTIPASTO

All inclusive

Burrata con fichi caramellati - Burrata with caramelized figs

Crostone con stracciatella e alici del Cantabrico - Crostone with stracciatella and Cantabrian anchovies

Parmigiana di melanzane con basilico fresco e ricotta salata - Eggplant parmigiana with fresh basil and salted ricotta

PRIMO PIATTO

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Risotto agrumato, crumble di agrumi e tartare di scampi - Citrus risotto, citrus crumble and langoustine tartare

Orecchiette al grano arso con cime di rapa, acciughe e pangrattato croccante - Burnt wheat orecchiette with turnip greens, anchovies and crunchy breadcrumbs

Pacchero ai frutti dello Jonio su guazzetto di pomodoro datterino giallo - Ionian fruit pacchero on yellow date tomato guazzetto

PIATTO PRINCIPALE

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Involtini alla leccese al sugo di pomodoro ciliegino - Leccese-style roulades with cherry tomato sauce

Polpo in pignata con patate - Octopus in pignata with potatoes

Bombette di Martina Franca con caciocavallo e patate a forno - Bombette di Martina Franca with caciocavallo cheese and baked potatoes

DESSERT

Scegli 1 piatto

Piccola selezione di mignon alla pasta di mandorle (3 pz. per ospite) - Small selection of almond paste mignons (3 pcs. per guest)

Tiramisù artigianale - Homemade Tiramisu

Torta Pasticciotto - Pasticciotto Cake

Vedere più foto

Opinioni su Maurizio

4.72

•

47 servizi

Wow, what can I say, Chef Maurizio and Renato were incredible. Maurizio worked with me initially to plan the menu and was very flexible to accomodate our needs being a group of 22 people, including kids. He provided the menus before our trip and included many local Puglian dishes. We chose a sharing style menu for 3 nights and a more formal 4 course dinner for one of the nights. The service of setting the table, pouring our drinks and cleaning up meant that we could relax into the evening and enjoy ourselves and each others company. A lot of the dishes were new to us which made the experience even more special. The whole group raved about the quality of the food, some of the highlights included vegetable lasagne, eggplant parmigiana and Maurizio’s mother’s Tiaramisu but honestly, everything was incredible. Maurizio was incredibly well prepared, courteous and discreet and an absolute joy to see each evening. I couldn’t recommend Maurizio enough. Grazie Maurizio.

Maurizio did a family dinner of 4 for us at our villa nr Ostuni. It was super impressive, from quick response to the initial enquiry, openness to flexing the menu to accommodate personal preference and great communication throughout. The food itself was delightful, genuine authentic taste of Apuglia across appetisers and four courses and the outside kitchen left in a better condition than when they arrived!! Couldn’t recommend more highly!

Maurizio and Nadia were wonderful and warm. All seven courses tasted absolutely delicious, and we got to experience a true taste of Italy on our plates. Maurizio was highly professional, and the flavors were exquisite! We’re so glad we chose him out of all the chefs!!

Chef Maurizio and his wife Nadia were amazing. They came on time and left our AirBnB totally clean. The food was delicious and they even used herbs from the garden to decorate the table. Very friendly and open to questions about the menu. I highly recommend!

we had a great time!

Maurizio and his wife Nadia were delightful. Excellent meal with exceptional service. Definitely would recommend. They created a special evening for us which was much appreciated and enjoyed by all.

Chef Maurizio and his partner, Nadia, cooked and presented an amazing local dinner for our group of 8 visiting Nardó. He named his “Mother’s DNA” in the menu, so we knew we’re in for a deep local treat, and he did not disappoint. He was very accommodating with the menu, suggesting several alternatives to meet dietary preferences from some of our guests. Preparation, presentation and clean-up were all included and professionally done, and the food was delicious. We would highly recommend Chef Maurizio.

Wow. We were so impressed! Maurizio’s food made for a truly special night. He made us an authentic Apuglia seafood menu - mussels, pasta with shrimp and sea bream. Each dish was better than the next. He takes such pride in his food and the ingredients he uses. In the pasta dish, he used one of the biggest shrimp we’d ever seen! Everything was so fresh. He even ventured off course and made my dad crème brûlée for dessert, which he made for the first time because of our request, and executed it perfectly. We were so grateful to have Maurizio and his wife Nadia with us to celebrate my dad’s 70th birthday. Simple, elegant cooking. That is Maurizio’s trademark. You can’t go wrong entrusting him and Nadia with your dining experience.

Chef Maurizio was outstanding. He was prepared, brought a friendly staff and the food was outstanding. The quality of everything he did was exquisite. We had a family party of 40 and he pulled it off beautifully. I highly recommend Maurizio. He will not disappoint. Great value, flexible menu and outstanding food!!

Maurizio and Nadia can only be described as a dream team. Absolutely amazing and unforgettable experience. It is very hard to explain how amazing this night was. I did this as a surprise for my girlfriend and she was completely blown away. They were very discrete, they accommodated all my needs, and they very professional. They made sure we didn’t worry about a single thing and that we just enjoyed the dinner with no stress about setup, eating, cleanup etc. The Tiramisu Chef Maurizio made was also the best one we have ever tried. I can’t wait for Chef Maurizio to cook for us again when we next visit Lecce/Puglia.

Maurizio and his wife have prepared 2 perfect meals for us and our friends, adapting perfectly to complicated dietary restrictions. They were super friendly patient and the food (and service) was delicious!!.

We hired chef Maurizio for three dinners at our villa. We had three very different menus and enjoyed each one. Portions were very generous. We really enjoyed Maurizio's reliability and autonomy. And most of all, he and Barbara left our kitchen squeeky clean every day. Overall outstanding experience both for the food itself and for the time we gained with our guests as Maurizio was cooking.

Maurizio and his wife cooked an excellent 4 course meal for myself and 9 friends while we were holidaying in Puglia. The service and food was all excellent, and it was a pleasure having them visit our airbnb and cook for us. I highly recommend this!

Chef Maurizio was amazing. He was accomodating, communicated well, and delivered a truely memorable experience for our families. The menu was outstanding and the food served was delicious and to our brief of a seafood experience. The octopus main was a stand out. Kitchen was left spotless, and our stomached fully satisfied. Thank you Chef!

We hired Maurizio Vergara to cook one main daily meal for us over a whole week at a villa we rented in Puglia, Italy. This was a special family celebration week for my wife's "big" birthday & we had all our family there (8 adults & 2 small children). Maurizio was brilliant, such a nice guy & a superb chef. He fitted in perfectly with the atmosphere of the holiday & everyone loved him, especially the 2 little 'uns. He brought an assistant with him each time he cooked, including his lovely wife, & all of them were charming too. He cooked 6 evening meals & one lunch, all delicious. The evening meals consisted of canapes, an appetiser, a pasta course, a main & a dessert, whilst the lunch was a BBQ with salads, followed by dessert. He cooked us a wide variety of seafood, meat & vegetable dishes, all beautifully presented & seriously yummy. My only complaint is that I ate too much & put on a lot of weight - but that's my fault not his! He even mixed us early evening cocktails to go with the canapes & supplied lovely wines on request to save us extra trips to the shops. He carefully itemised every item of food on a spreadsheet so that I could easily pay him for the ingredients. I found him totally trustworthy, he always arrived in plenty of time & stayed beyond what we'd have expected, doing all the washing up - a bonus! The whole family agreed that his service was one of the highlights of our holiday & I would highly recommend him.

Maurizio and his lovely wife are a great team. Food was delicious, catering to vegetarian, non vegetarian, and all culinary requirements. Fabulous food and service. Could not have asked for a better experience.

We had a fantastic meal cooked for us by Chef Maurizio while we stayed in Lecce. Chef was very punctual and was at ease in the kitchen while we put kids to bed. His wife assisted and spoke excellent English - we chatted for a long time about things to see and do around Lecce. The food itself was delicious, well cooked and well presented with descriptions of each dish. We really loved that the tiramisu was an old family recipe! We would certainly recommend Chef Maurizio if you in the salento!

Chef Maurizio was absolutely amazing! We had such a special experience and the food was incredible. Authentic and delicious and exceeded all of our expectations. The wine he brought was also a great compliment to the dinner and we enjoyed everything. He and his wife Nadia, who helped to prepare and assist, were a delight to have cook for us and would absolutely recommend him again. We hope to come to Puglia to visit again. Thanks again Chef! Grazie mille.

Maurizio and his wife Nadya were fantastic. They arrived on time, were eager to show off their quality ingredients and prepared the meal according to our schedule. Even better - they were kind, engaging and fun to hang with when the meal was done! Highly recommend.