The origins of Zeffirino

The Zeffirino story began in 1939 with Zeffirino Belloni, the family patriarch. Born in 1918 in the beautiful countryside of Modena, he grew up alongside his three brothers. At the age of 17, he married the sweet Olga, with whom he had five children: Gian Paolo, Luciano, Odino, Alberto and Giorgio.

During the Second World War, Zeffirino was called up for military service. As a colonel, he is in charge of meal preparation. In discovering this profession, he developed a real passion for cooking, a passion that would shape his future choices.

After the war, Zeffirino sold everything, packed his bags and returned to Genova with his wife and children, intending to sail to Argentina. But he was seduced by Genova and its openness to the sea, and decided to settle there.

With the skills he had acquired in the kitchen, Zeffirino took over a trattoria in the east of the city. Called L’Emiliana, the concept offers typical cuisine, the fruit of the work of the whole family.

Years go by, grandchildren are born, and Zeffirino sets out to find a majestic location in the heart of Genova, near the Ponte Monumental. Once found, he gave it his own name, creating Zeffirino 1939.

The Zeffirino family

A generational story

While one of the main characteristics of Italian cuisine is its simplicity, Zeffirino’s recipe for success lies in Family. In the heart of Genoa, Zeffirino Belloni, his wife Olga and their 5 children Gianpaolo, Luciano, Odino, Alberto and Giorgio, along with their daughters-in-law Giannina, Livia and Renata, have created an internationally recognized brand.

Gian Paolo

At the heart of Zeffirino’s kitchen, Gian Paolo, supported by his wife Giannina, has dedicated his life to the cultivation of taste. His infinite passion for cooking led him to become an ambassador for Italian cuisine around the world, and now retired, he enjoys cultivating his garden and ensuring that the family’s traditional flavors are never lost.

Luciano

The success of a restaurant always depends on the dining room, and Luciano knows this very well. A pillar of the restaurant alongside his brother Gian Paolo, Luciano has dedicated himself to marketing, the dining room and international development of the Zeffirino brand. He is still the voice of the family, ready to enchant with stories and anecdotes from a career spent alongside world-famous personalities.

Odino

Younger than his brothers Luciano and Paolo, Odino has distinguished himself by preserving the flavors of Zeffirino’s signature dishes, including the pesto recipe and “Paffutelli alla Frank”. His faithful wife Renata worked alongside him in the kitchen.

Alberto

When opportunities arose to develop Zeffirino abroad, Alberto didn’t back down. For years, he represented the family at Zeffirino in Las Vegas, a city where he now resides permanently and continues to collaborate with his family.

Giorgio

The youngest of the 5 brothers, Giorgio, like Alberto, is the family’s ambassador abroad. He chose to settle in the warm sunshine of Brazil, where he opened a sumptuous hotel in the magnificent Ilhéus region of Bahia, between beaches and lush vegetation.

Marco

After exploring the world, Marco adopted the philosophy of good living. In charge of the Genova restaurant, he devotes every day to offering his customers the very best, combining tradition with family roots.

Sabrina

Daughter of Odin, Sabrina continues to perpetuate the tradition passed down by her father, bringing harmony and tranquility to the family. She manages the administrative aspects of both the restaurant and the family. Additionally, she passionately dedicates herself to organizing catering services on private jets, ensuring that every detail is meticulously attended to and that the family’s culinary excellence reaches new heights even in the skies.

Lucia

Passionate and determined, Lucia works alongside Marco, carrying on the family culinary tradition. In particular, she is responsible for pesto production, a task she approaches with love and respect.

Zeffirino pesto

A reputation built on the finest Ligurian products

In addition to its history and family traditions, Zeffirino has also built its reputation on its authentic Genovese Pesto: vibrantly colored and incredibly addictive, it’s made with the finest transalpine ingredients such as hand-harvested Prà basil, Sardinian Pecorino, Parmigiano Reggiano and Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil.

The popes

Pesto approved by the Popes

The Zeffirino family has a long-standing friendship with the Vatican, and has had the honor of serving three Popes over the years: Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and recently, Pope Francis.What’s more, the Zeffirino family has always maintained the tradition of sending or taking pesto directly to the Popes.

When they visit Genova, the family takes care of the catering and, of course, makes sure that Zeffirino pesto is on the menu!

Frank Sinatra

A friendship that made history

On August 14, 1984, the Zeffirino family received a call from a Monte-Carlo hotel, informing them that a well-known personality was coming to lunch at their home. Eagerly awaited with curiosity, this personality was none other than Frank Sinatra, accompanied by his wife and close friends.

This meeting marked the beginning of a great friendship, and gave birth to an emblematic, fragrant dish, “Paffutelli alla Frank”. The Zeffirino family accompanied Frank Sinatra on all his events in Italy, and even sent him their precious pesto for his private events.

Riccardo Giraudi

The Genoa-born restaurateur

Born in Genova, Monegasque restaurateur Riccardo Giraudi, creator of Beefbar restaurants around the world, wanted to transpose this incredible restaurant and its emblematic recipes to his hometowns, Monaco and Paris.

Riccardo Giraudi is an Italo-Monegasque restaurateur whose creativity knows no bounds. Since 2005, Beefbar restaurants have been opening in some of the world’s most beautiful cities, from Paris to Sao Paulo, Mykonos and New York (the latest). In Paris, he revitalized the Anahi institution by taking over the restaurant without changing its character, and bringing back the inimitable hostess, Carmina.

Riccardo is equally attached to the history and heritage of Zeffirino, the must-try restaurant in his hometown, and has convinced the Belloni family to extend their jewel of Italian gastronomy beyond its borders.

Today, he is delighted to unveil Zeffirino’s forthcoming openings in Paris and Monaco. For the Paris restaurant, Riccardo has teamed up with Mehdi Abdelhedi, founder of Italian restaurants César and Siéna, also well known to international celebrities.