Paolo meets Paolo: An encounter with Italy's famous chef to the stars

Paolo Celli & Paolo Spadoni

It seems that every city has given birth to at least one famous—or at least semi-famous—person. I’m sure that if I knew my history better, I would know who the most famous Montecarlesi are. But for now, I’m satisfied to know that I have met at least one of the top candidates—for last Friday night I attended a presentation given by Paolo Celli, known as the Chef to the Stars. After he and local author Giampiero Della Nina spoke, I purchased the book Della Nina has written about Celli.

Paolo and I first encountered each other two years ago on Facebook, when we discovered that we had several things in common, including long family histories in Montecarlo and an abiding love for the place. For a short time, we thought we might be related, as I have documentation of a marriage between a Cesare Celli and Gioconda Spadoni (sister of my great grandfather Pietro) in Pescia in 1886, but we determined that Paolo came from a different branch of the Celli family. Still, given that our families have deep roots in the Valdinievole, it’s quite possible that somewhere back in time we share at least one common ancestor.

Giampiero Della Nina and Paolo Celli in Porcari.

Paolo was born in Montecarlo in 1941 in the middle of World War 2, and his dad tried unsuccessfully to find an apprenticeship for Paolo that would lead to a productive livelihood. Paolo tried his hand in the workshops of a blacksmith, a carpenter and a tailor. He worked in a theater, a gelateria and as a delivery boy hauling coffins. His dad tried enrolling him with a local music master. None of these professions suited Paolo, and at age 12, he left Montecarlo to work in a Tuscan trattoria in Torino. And this move opened his eyes to his true calling.

His big break came when the restaurant where he worked hosted a group of some 20 theatrical celebrities and stagehands for a number of days while they were performing in Torino. On the first night, the head chef called in sick, and the restaurant owner, in desperation, had no choice but to appoint Paolo to the position. Fortunately, Paolo had been watching the chef carefully and had memorized his recipes. Every night, the group applauded and complimented the owner and asked to meet the chef. The owner kept stalling, until finally on the last night, the patrons pushed their way into the kitchen, where they were flabbergasted to find their cook: 13-year-old Paolo, weighing about 85 pounds and standing on a box so he could more easily reach the countertop.

Paolo as Garibaldi

Fast forward to many years later; Paolo became a cook in Rome and then Hollywood, where he also became an actor and stuntman. While he had parts in more than 60 films, his real success was as a chef who gained the confidence of a plethora of movie stars, including Claudia Cardinale, Liz Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Anita Ekberg, Charles Bronson, Richard Gere, Mel Gibson, Eli Wallach, Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef,

The real Garibaldi

Frank Sinatra, Omar Shariff, Romy Schneider, Alberto Sordi, Totò, Dustin Hoffman, Liza Minelli, Francis Ford Coppola, Sergio Leone, Al Pacino, Richard Gere, Marlon Brando, Talia Shire, Aristotle Onassis, Maria Callas and many others. He has also won worldwide recognition as a chef and has traveled to both Hong Kong and Russia in his role as chef and restaurant adviser. Paolo is also well known as an impersonator of Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe Verdi, both of whom he resembles.

Paolo & Nino Benvenuti (world champion boxer)

I met Paolo in person at the Bistrot Chocolat & Coffee in nearby Porcari. Paolo and author Giampiero Della Nina were presenting Della Nina’s recently published book, “Paolo Celli: Istrione e Chef delle Stelle,” which translates as actor and chef to the stars. The book is only available in Italian, but that’s good for me, as I need the practice, and I am now slowly making my way through it. The story above about his first years in Torino came from the book, and I’m looking forward to reading about his further adventures in the coming days.

Paolo’s brother Riccardo still lives in Montecarlo, and as Paolo’s life has slowed down, he often returns to his hometown, renewing old connections and making new ones. Hopefully our short meeting in Porcari will not be our last one.