Chef
Michelle Politano
Private Chef · Culinary Experiences · Events
I’m Chef Michelle Politano, a private chef creating highly personalized culinary experiences throughout New England, across the United States, and internationally. My work spans intimate dinners, weddings, destination celebrations, multi day retreats, executive offsites, sailing experiences, and confidential engagements for high profile and privacy sensitive clientele. I am also the owner and executive chef of PiANTA, my award winning restaurant on historic Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island.
My cooking has been shaped by years of professional experience and by studying, cooking, and learning from food cultures around the world, from Italy to Morocco to Mexico and beyond. My food is generous, vibrant, ingredient driven, and deeply rooted in flavor. I care about beautiful presentation, but never at the expense of creating food people genuinely love to eat.
Every menu is completely custom and built around the people I am cooking for, the location, the season, dietary needs, and the reason everyone is gathering. I might be creating an elegant plated dinner, a long family style table, a cocktail reception, a multi course tasting menu, or several days of meals for a private retreat. Nothing is templated, and no two experiences should feel the same.
Private dining is personal, and I believe the chef should bring more than technical skill into the room. Warmth, confidence, humor, intuition, discretion, and genuine hospitality are all part of the experience. I love connecting with guests, reading the energy of a gathering, and knowing when to engage and when to let the evening unfold naturally.
For clients who want more than the meal itself, I can help shape the entire experience through tablescapes, specialty liquor and beverage sourcing, cocktail pairings, florals and décor direction, charcuterie and grazing boards, welcome gifts, custom keepsakes, guest amenities, event styling, and other thoughtful details. Whether I am cooking an anniversary dinner for two, a destination wedding, or a multi day executive retreat, my goal is the same: exceptional food, seamless execution, and an experience that feels personal, memorable, and entirely your own.
One of the most meaningful parts of this work is the relationships that come from it. It is not uncommon for me to cook for a client once and have them never look elsewhere again, and that trust is one of the greatest compliments I could receive.
I truly love what I do, and it would be an honor to share it with you.
