MIRKO PADERNO

At the young age of 31, chef Mirko Paderno is quickly gaining attention for his outstanding Italian cuisine, which takes center stage at All’ Angelo. Since opening in early 2007, Mirko has helped garner local and national accolades to the restaurant, including “Best New Restaurant 2007” b... more >

At the young age of 31, chef Mirko Paderno is quickly gaining attention for his outstanding Italian cuisine, which takes center stage at All’ Angelo. Since opening in early 2007, Mirko has helped garner local and national accolades to the restaurant, including “Best New Restaurant 2007” by Esquire, “Best New Restaurant runner-up” by Los Angeles Magazine, one of the “Top 10 New Restaurants in the United States” by Gayot, and one of the “Best U.S. Italian Restaurants” by Forbes Traveler.
Growing up in the northern Alto Adige region of Italy, Mirko admits that he did not have much interest in cooking. “While my mother made gnocchi, I’d sit at the table just to play with the dough,” Mirko jokes. “When it was time to decide on a high school, I noticed there were lots of pretty girls in culinary school, so I signed up at the Hotel Caesar Ritz in Merano.” Little did he know that this would be his first step on a path to great success, as his true talents were revealed as he demonstrated his passion for life and love through cooking and Italian cuisine.
He graduated with honors and went on to apprentice with Italian Chef Sergio Mei at the Four Seasons in Milan, perfecting his skills in both traditional cuisine and pastry. His early restaurant experience includes the Michelin 2-star Imo e Nadia in Milan, various spots in Rimini, and an Italian restaurant in Augsburg, Germany.
During his time in Europe, Mirko was highly recruited and encouraged to come to Los Angeles, and in 1999, he made the move and took the position as head chef at Primi Restaurant in West LA, owned by renowned restaurateur Piero Selvaggio. He moved on to become sous chef and catering manager at Selvaggio’s highly acclaimed Valentino, creating their annual “Menu Extravaganza” for VIP restaurant patrons, and played a primary role in earning Valentino’s numerous honors, including “Best Italian Restaurant in the Country” from Gourmet. He went on to work in the city’s top Italian kitchens, including the Drago Group’s Celestino Steakhouse and Drago, and made headlines as top toque in West Hollywood celebrity-hotspots Ago, Dolce Enoteca and Bridge.
Mirko himself had his turn in the Hollywood spotlight on the MTV reality show Newlyweds, where he taught Jessica Simpson how to prepare lobster ravioli for then-hubby Nick Lachey. He was recently appointed President of the West Coast Chapter of the Italian Federation of Chefs, and he recently represented Los Angeles in a Chef Exchange with the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan.
Mirko is relishing in the chance to finally have complete freedom and control over every aspect of the kitchen and is creating exciting menus that are truly his own at All’ Angelo. Every evening is a celebration of Italian cuisine and culture representative of the top dining establishments in his homeland. In his words: “To be honest, I couldn’t do it any other way.” < less