Mirazur celebrates the hands and hearts behind the kitchen

Luca Mattioli, Executive Chef of the Mauro Colagreco group, holds a handwritten plea: ‘Mention Le Mirazur, please help me.’ The black and white photograph, captured in 2020 by Matteo Carassale, is one frame in a larger artistic undertaking, a visual homage to the individuals who have shaped Mirazur across its history.

What emerges from Carassale’s lens is not the glossy documentation of fine dining, but something more candid and human. These portraits strip away the theatre of the dining room and kitchen service to reveal the people themselves: their expressions, their presence, the quiet intensity that distinguishes those devoted to the craft. Each image becomes a record of belonging, a moment when someone who shapes the restaurant’s identity pauses to acknowledge what the place means to them.

Mirazur, under the direction of Mauro Colagreco, has long understood that a restaurant of consequence is built not by a single vision but by the collective commitment of its team. Carassale’s series makes this philosophy visible. Shot in monochrome against textured backdrops, the photographs possess an almost documentary quality, yet carry an intimacy that suggests genuine connection between photographer and subject. This is portraiture that respects both the individual and the institution they serve.

The work circulates not as marketing material but as acknowledgment. In an industry where recognition typically flows toward the chef de cuisine, Carassale’s project redirects that attention outward, towards the many talents and stories that converge each service to create something worth travelling for. These are the faces and histories that constitute the restaurant itself.

Imagery courtesy of Mirazur (@restaurantmirazur).