RETROGUSTI PROFILE

Name: Felice Sgarra
Year of birth: 1982
Hometown: Andria (Bat)
Where he cooks today: Casa Sgarra Trani

Career Path

His journey in the kitchen began long before his formal training: it took root within his family, in the Apulian countryside, amid everyday rituals, fresh ingredients, and aromas that would eventually become part of his culinary language.

After studying at the Hotel Management School in Roccaraso, Abruzzo, he embarked on a journey that brought him into contact with leading institutions in the Italian restaurant scene. Traveling through Abruzzo, Piedmont, Veneto, and Puglia, he delved into different techniques, cultures, and sensibilities, gradually forging his own culinary identity.

In 2011, he chose to return to Andria and launched Umami, the project in which his culinary vision finds its fullest expression. Two years later, on November 5, 2013, he received one of the most significant accolades of his career: his first Michelin star.

In the years that followed, his journey was enriched by events, training programs, culinary festivals, and collaborations that allowed him to share the story of Puglia and his vision of cuisine even beyond regional and national borders.

In 2020, together with his brothers Riccardo and Roberto, he opened Casa Sgarra – Una Storia di Famiglia on the Trani waterfront.

Just a few months after opening, on November 25, 2020, Casa Sgarra earned a Michelin Star, an accolade that has been confirmed year after year through the 2026 Michelin Guide.

HIS WORLD

Ingredient that represents him: Extra virgin olive oil. It is Puglia, it is memory, it is identity. An ingredient that is simple only in appearance, capable of telling the story of the land, the seasons, and the culture.

Ingredient he avoids: Anything that lacks a true identity. Felice doesn’t like ingredients used merely for the sake of trends or to impress; every element must have a purpose, an origin, and a reason for being on the plate.

The dish that makes him feel like a child again: Rice, potatoes, and mussels. A quintessentially Apulian dish, tied to memories, family, and those flavors that instantly transport him back home.

A mentor: Life. And all the people he’s met along the way: the great professionals from whom he’s learned technique and discipline, but also his family, his region, and his daily work. Because a chef never stops learning.

THE SETTING

Restaurant: Casa Sgarra — Trani

Seating Capacity: To be determined based on the current layout of the dining room

Kitchen Team

A team built on precision, collaboration, and respect for each other’s roles.

Sabino Pio Merra

Rossella Battaglia

Giuseppe Lambo

Francesco Piarulli

Giovanni Palummo

Giuseppe Malcangi

William Gusman

Sommeliers: Roberto Sgarra and Riccardo Sgarra
Dining Room: A professional yet welcoming dining room, where service complements the cuisine without ever overshadowing it.

Philosophy: A family story. Casa Sgarra’s cuisine has its roots in Puglia, its ingredients, and its heritage, yet looks to the future through technique, innovation, and contemporary flair.

For Felice Sgarra, the region is not a geographical boundary but a starting point. It is the way to transform an ingredient without betraying it, to respect its identity and, at the same time, to take it elsewhere.

Cooking is research, but first and foremost it is culture, sacrifice, respect, and memory.

THE 5 RETROGUSTI QUESTIONS

What is the aftertaste of your cuisine?
“The aftertaste of my cuisine is memory. I like it when a dish can evoke emotion even before it’s explained. Behind a technique, a cooking method, or a presentation, there must be something that speaks of home, of Puglia, of family.”

What isn’t visible on the plate but carries so much weight?
“The work. You can’t see on the plate the hours of preparation, the mistakes, the sacrifices, the research, the trials, and the people who worked on it. A restaurant’s cuisine is always the result of a team and a great deal of invisible work.”

A mistake that helped you grow?
“Thinking—especially in the beginning—that technique and talent were enough. Then I realized that a great chef must above all know how to listen, observe, and keep learning. The most useful mistake is the one that forces you to question yourself.”

A culinary tradition that speaks to your region better than a thousand words?
“Rice, potatoes, and mussels. It’s a dish that encapsulates Puglia: the sea, the land, simplicity, conviviality, and our families’ ability to transform a few ingredients into something extraordinary. It’s also a dish that reminds me of where I come from. And for me, that’s worth more than any technique.”

How do you see your cuisine in the future?
“I see it becoming increasingly free, yet ever more aware of its roots. The future doesn’t mean forgetting tradition. It means knowing it so well that you can transform it without losing its soul. I’d like to continue creating contemporary Apulian cuisine—cuisine that speaks to the world without ever ceasing to speak the language of my homeland. Because in the end, the future of cuisine lies in the memory of who we are”

THE SIGNATURE DISH

Spaghettone all’assassina

Spaghetti all’assassina is a traditional dish from the Bari region, characterized by a unique cooking method that makes the pasta crispy and spicy.

Origins

History and Trivia

Spaghetti all’assassina originated in Bari in the 1960s and owes its name to its spiciness. The recipe has become a symbol of Apulian cuisine and is often prepared for special occasions. The cooking technique—which involves frying the pasta directly in the sauce—gives the dish a unique flavor and a crispy texture.

This recipe is perfect for those who love bold flavors and traditional cuisine. 

At Casa Sgarra, we’d like to dedicate this image and story

According to criminologists, there’s no such thing as the perfect crime.

That may be true, but this dish—which has been an integral part of Bari’s culinary tradition

for nearly sixty years, proves that the perfect crime not only exists but can also be repeated countless times and committed by different people.

All you need to do is follow simple instructions, using the right pans and ingredients with care and patience. And if any of your guests exclaim “murderer!” in your direction, don’t be surprised.

That’s exactly what happened when this extraordinary dish was served for the very first time.

Recipe

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 100 g of Benedetto Cavalieri artisan spaghettone
• 200 g of Fiaschetto tomato sauce from Torre Guaceto
• 1 clove of red garlic from Sulmona
• Apulian chili pepper from Molfetta
• Coratina cultivar extra virgin olive oil
• Whole-grain salt from Margherita di Savoia
• Vegetable broth
• 500g Gargano datterini tomatoes
• 100 g tomato paste

Instructions

Prepare the vegetable broth by adding two tablespoons of tomato paste.

Prepare the 500g of Datterini tomatoes by cutting them in half and baking them at 200° for about 10 minutes. Once done, purée them and keep warm while the spaghetti finishes cooking.

Place the pan over high heat, add extra virgin olive oil and two tablespoons of chili flakes and garlic; once the garlic is golden brown, add the 200g of tomato puree; immediately afterward, add the uncooked spaghetti directly to the pan, distributing it evenly and submerging it in the puree.

Cook by absorption: add ladlefuls of vegetable broth as the spaghetti absorbs the liquid. Continue stirring gently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

The goal is to form a golden, slightly charred crust.

Add the sauce made from the previously baked and pureed datterini tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add salt to taste.