Some people choose to work in the restaurant business as children, while others discover it almost by accident. For Riccardo Belluzzo, Restaurant Manager and Sommelier at the Aimo e Nadia bistro , it all began with a life choice: realizing, at just sixteen, that the path he was taking wasn’t the right one and finding hospitality as a place to express his talent.
Today, at twenty-three, Riccardo leads the dining room at the bistRo with a mature vision, built through diverse experiences and a professional path characterized by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to grow. After studying mechanics, he discovered the world of catering thanks to his brother, who was then working in the kitchen. However, it was the dining room that fascinated him from the very beginning: the relationship with guests, the pace of service, the ability to transform every welcome into an experience . His first experiences came in bars, followed by training at the European Bartender School in Milan and the years spent at JustMe , where he alternated between working at the bar and in the dining room, learning to manage dynamic environments and fast-paced service.
His growth continued at Il Giardino Restaurant in Pavia, where he joined as a commis and, over time, took on roles of increasing responsibility until becoming chef de rang . It was here that a passion was born that would shape his career: wine . Driven by the desire to deepen his knowledge, he attended the Italian Sommelier Association’s training program, achieving all three levels of specialization between Pavia and Piedmont. For Riccardo, wine is much more than a pairing : it is the story of a territory, the history of a producer, and the time that continues to transform each bottle. Among his favorites are the great reds of Burgundy, appreciated for their elegance, precision, and extraordinary expressiveness.
His desire to compete with excellence subsequently led him to fine dining, first at a five-star resort in Tuscany with a Michelin-starred restaurant, and then at a three-star Michelin restaurant in Piedmont. These two experiences were crucial in honing his rigorous service, attention to detail, and culture of hospitality.
In 2026, he joined the Aimo e Nadia Group as the bistRo ‘s Dining Room Manager and Sommelier . Since joining, he has been actively involved in developing the wine list and managing the cellar , working closely with Alberto Piras , Sommelier at Il Luogo Aimo e Nadia, and in constant dialogue with chef-owners Fabio Pisani and Alessandro Negrini . This journey, founded on trust and collaboration, allows him to personally contribute to the selection of wines and bring his own winemaking expertise to the bistRo project . Among the producers he is most attached to, he cites Flavio Roddolo, a winemaker from the Langhe who, in his eyes, represents an authentic example of identity, consistency, and a deep sense of belonging to the region. But above all, it is the value of people that is what most struck him about joining Aimo e Nadia. At the bistRo , he found an environment where expertise, team spirit, and daily dialogue coexist naturally, allowing each professional to take on responsibility and continue to grow.
Looking to the future, Riccardo wants to gain professional experience in France, deepening his knowledge of the language and the country’s wine culture. However, the dream that has accompanied him since his early days remains alive: to one day open a restaurant with his brother, combining their respective skills—he in the dining room and his brother in the kitchen.
For Riccardo Belluzzo, the Aimo e Nadia bistRo today represents much more than a professional stage:
it is a place where he continues to learn, puts himself to the test every day and contributes, together with the entire team, to building an idea of hospitality founded on quality, hospitality and a culture of service.
