Inside the Secret Garden – Exclusive Interview with Chef Francesco Mazzei
Raising the Bar
July 9, 2025
A culinary and cultural escape with Chef
Francesco Mazzei signals the start of the
summer season at the Corinthia Palace,
ahead of even more exciting developments
for the launch of the London restaurant.
Ramona Depares catches up with the Chef.
Two years ago, Chef Francesco Mazzei – London's culinary darling and MasterChef star - partnered with Corinthia Palace to serve up Calabria’s finest dishes at his first international restaurant outside of the UK: Francesco Mazzei at Villa Corinthia. Coupled with Malta’s top seasonal ingredients, the concept was an instant success.
Today, Francesco Mazzei has become central to the culinary offering at Corinthia Palace, where he is excited to present a refreshed vision for ‘Secret Garden’ as a lush outdoor escape that captures the essence of summer in Malta – all while retaining a firm accent on quiet, laidback luxury.
“Secret Garden is a green oasis where I plan on serving amazing pizza, crudo, simple grills and fresh pasta. The aim is to keep it simple, but real. I am Italian, so I focus on the flavour, the ingredients…
Guests can dine on the gorgeous terrace, by the poolside, while enjoying a myriad of activities taking place in the background,” Chef Mazzei starts off.
Think DJ beats, live music, cultural events, chill aperitivo and an exciting pop-up concept… all the good things that make a Maltese (or Italian!) summer pop. We have also worked on a new aesthetic with the designers from Kave Home - which we are happy with.
Meanwhile, Villa Corinthia will continue serving a different, finer vibe indoors. As will Josephine’s, where Chef Mazzei is excited to continue focusing on plant-based cuisine.
Chef Francesco Mazzei
“The Mediterranean diet is very vegetarian and vegan-friendly, even though we may not necessarily make a big noise about it. My bruschetta, for instance, is vegan, as are some of my pasta dishes,” he points out.
So what brings Secret Garden, Villa Corinthia and Josephine’s together? The answer is quality, Chef Mazzei assures me.
“For example, The Secret Garden may keep things simpler, but the focus on quality is just as strong. We want people to feel that it’s accessible but also that it’s excellent. This is my way, and it’s also the Corinthia Palace way,” he says with a smile.
He believes that this approach, with high-quality, good food that speaks for itself, is the secret sauce in the Corinthia/Mazzei formula.
“At the end of the day it’s the customer who had a desire to see me staying on for longer. I felt welcome, both in Malta and by the Pisani family. For me, Malta is like the centre of the Mediterranean and it’s close to my home region of Calabria. After spending so much time working in London, when I’m in Malta it feels like I’m back home...
I can see the same sunshine, smells, seasonality that I love in Calabria,” he says passionately.
And now, despite a packed schedule here in Malta, Chef Mazzei is set to turn up the temperature a notch or three higher in the UK too, as he brings his signature ethos to a much-anticipated new restaurant at Corinthia London, set to open in late 2025.
So what brings Secret Garden, Villa Corinthia and Josephine’s together? The answer is quality, Chef Mazzei assures me.
“For example, The Secret Garden may keep things simpler, but the focus on quality is just as strong. We want people to feel that it’s accessible but also that it’s excellent. This is my way, and it’s also the Corinthia Palace way,” he says with a smile.
He believes that this approach, with high-quality, good food that speaks for itself, is the secret sauce in the Corinthia/Mazzei formula.
“At the end of the day it’s the customer who had a desire to see me staying on for longer. I felt welcome, both in Malta and by the Pisani family. For me, Malta is like the centre of the Mediterranean and it’s close to my home region of Calabria. After spending so much time working in London, when I’m in Malta it feels like I’m back home...
I can see the same sunshine, smells, seasonality that I love in Calabria,” he says passionately.
And now, despite a packed schedule here in Malta, Chef Mazzei is set to turn up the temperature a notch or three higher in the UK too, as he brings his signature ethos to a much-anticipated new restaurant at Corinthia London, set to open in late 2025.
Francesco Mazzei is, of course, well-loved in London - and indeed across the wider culinary world - having long been a fixture on the London restaurant scene and a familiar face in UK media.
Earlier this year, he collaborated with actor Stanley Tucci, designing a menu for a dinner hosted by King Charles III at Highgrove House.
The event, which celebrated sustainability through the slow food and slow fashion movements, saw Chef Mazzei and his Corinthia Palace team craft an Italian menu using primarily British ingredients.
It was a spectacular success, widely covered by international media and serving as a fitting prelude to what he aims to bring to both London and Malta restaurants.
Quizzed on what it means to be entrusted with the birthplace of the Corinthia story, a place which holds such deep cultural connection to the Maltese - “I do feel the responsibility of working with the legacy of Corinthia Palace, of course.
Just think of its unique history, architecture, legacy…
The London restaurant will also focus on building on this legacy. Added to that, I’ve been cooking in London for so many years and the expectations will be massive there.
But I’m a chef, and chefs love cooking and love challenges. London will bring both, and I can’t wait to make it happen,” he concludes.
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