Maurizio Contartese is Chef and Owner of Bravo Ristorante in Sacramento, CA.

Born in Milano, Italy, Maurizio grew up enjoying wonderful Italian food which he aspired to recreate. As a youth in Milan, Maurizio attended "Scuola Albergheria" - a school in which he learned all aspects of running a fine restaurant, especially in the kitchen.

He subsequently went to work for "Palace Hotels" where he training with the finest chefs in Switzerland. Maurizio's first restaurant was in the resort town of Cervinia, nestled between the French, Italian and Swiss borders. There he established a reputation for serving authentic Italian cuisine with a fine balance between pasta, fresh meats, seafood and poultry, blended with only the freshest garden vegetables and herbs to create a dining experience that can only be described as "buonissimo".

Maurizio's Eggplant Ravioli is an excellent example.

Bravo Ristorante is Maurizio's latest endeavor, bringing the "Taste of Italy" to Sacramento. You will always have the same exceptional dining experience at Bravo, that you'd expect from the finest restaurants in Italy.