Letizia Vella

1. Tell us about your educational background and your work experience to date.
I followed my passion for cooking by joining the local culinary school and followed a course at the Institute of Tourism Studies. A year through the course I travelled abroad to stage at Michelin starred restaurants, to embark on new experiences and further broaden my culinary experience. I went on to work at the two-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, and The Fat Duck thereafter. Following short stints in working for other fine dining restaurants in Malta, I opened my own in 2019, The Golden Fork. Ever since I set foot in this industry I always had two simple goals; to work hard and deepen my knowledge. And to become one of the best Chefs on the island.

2. Why are you so passionate about being a Chef?
Being a Chef is certainly a labour of love. It requires holding a schedule that does not align with most people’s lives. For me, it is the love towards food and cooking that drives me to challenge myself and my boundaries every single day. Besides, nothing can replace that rush of adrenaline during a busy period when the ticket orders come flying in. The beauty of this industry is that each and every day is show time, a show which delivers smiles on grateful diners and a solid element of satisfaction to the whole team.

3. Mention five words to describe yourself and your work ethic.
Quality, Consistency, Self Determination, Discipline, Drive.

4. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
Definitely improving my skills and my restaurant even further by reaching my goals and setting new ones. I will definitely keep pushing my limits and develop our food, alongside opting for new exciting challenges.

5. Can you mention Chefs who have inspired you? What do you admire most about them?
I believe that my experiences abroad planted a seed which has developed into a love towards the industry. Heston Blumenthal and his team at The Fat Duck have definitely inspired me along the way.

6. What is your favourite dish to cook and why?
This is a tough one! Each and every dish that we prepare consists of hours of research, thoughts and trials, they become like our children, we love them equally and shouldn’t have a favourite child. But, one dish which I singled out is our ‘Kusksu’ dish, which takes off from a classical recipe which has been modernised and finally landed on our menu.