Born in the Piedmont region of Italy, Roberto Donna's fervent mission is the promotion of authentic Italian cuisine. As a James Beard Award winning Chef and Restaurateur in Washington, DC, Roberto is committed to introducing others to the real flavors of Italy.

Born and raised in Torino, Italy Chef Donna, otherwise known as a child as Bebo to his mother, began working in the kitchen at a restaurant adjacent to his home before he could even reach the counter. It was clear Donna was destined to be a chef. As a first grader, Donna held his first job cleaning produce in a restaurant, and graduated to stuffing cannelloni and ravioli. At age 9, he was tall enough to reach the counter and cook at the stove. By age 13, he began attending professional cooking school. Five years later, he graduated and, on the recommendation of his cooking instructor and mentor, took a job in the United States.

Donna arrived in Washington, D.C. with almost a "lifetime" of cooking experience and education. In 1984 he opened his flagship restaurant, Galileo and immediately gained a strong following in the DC Metropolitan area. In the 21 years since then, Chef Donna's Galileo and Laboratorio have received worldwide recognition and become a destination for those seeking the best in Italian cuisine.

With the recent renovations taking place at Galileo, forcing its temporary closure, Chef Donna has opened Bebo Trattoria da Roberto Donna in Arlington, VA. As a Trattoria, it fulfills Chef Donna's life long dream of having a restaurant that allows guests to enjoy an Italian family dining experience. It has been Chef Donna's goal in each of his restaurants to prepare Italian cuisine that appeals to a full range of culinary tastes and budgets and he successfully provides guests with this each and every day.

Chef Donna spends most of his time in his restaurant; however he does make sure to leave time to travel back to Italy to each year. Visiting other restaurants and chefs gives him new ideas, which he then shares with his own chefs. "If you want to improve and become better in the cooking world," he says, "you have to travel."

Donna is an active supporter of many charities, including the DC Central Kitchen, the American Institute of Wine & Food, Share Our Strength and The James Beard Foundation. He served as a spokesperson for Barilla brand pasta, and has frequently appeared on television, including a "Today" show segment in Torino during the 2006 Winter Olympics, two appearances on the TV Food Network's "Iron Chef" program, several appearances on Comcast's CN8 program "The Fretz Kitchen," as well as appearances on PBS programs and local/regional news stations.

Learn more about Chef Roberto Donna at robertodonna.com.