Anthony Castrilli, from Italy to Mexico
With his messy hair, long, twisted wool sweater and revolver-blue eyes, Anthony Castrilli arrives on time for our appointment. It’s the first time we’ve met, and the first time he’s been interviewed. Far from being intimidated, he was a little reserved at the start of our conversation, but quickly got into the swing of things. For the occasion, he put on his traditional hat, and in the course of this exchange we discover an endearing character who very quickly knew that the world of catering was made for him. At the helm of pizzerias Cinecitta, Osteria Zaza and Mexican restaurants La Taqueria Los Cuñados in Geneva and more recently in Crans-Montana, meet a young restaurateur with a bright future.
Memories of carbonara
His first gourmet memories were, of course, around a table at the Cinecitta restaurant, a veritable transalpine institution in the heart of Les Eaux-Vives. From an early age, he was immersed in the family restaurant, opened by his father in 1991. “At school, I was the only one who didn’t eat at the canteen. Every day, I took the bus back to the restaurant for lunch,” he recalls. Pasta carbonara is without a doubt the dish that marked his youth, and remains to this day his Italian madeleine de Proust. As for his studies, young Anthony let himself be carried along by the school system, without necessarily liking it. “I have to admit that I was in favor of the least effort. To make sure I got the average, I calculated the marks I had to get to pass. I never bought into the idea of being average everywhere and good nowhere”.
His father did not want him to become a restaurateur. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in economics, Anthony tried his hand at banking, a world he soon left behind. He left for Milan to study for a master’s degree in marketing and communications. It was a turning point for the young student. In the meantime, his father began to change his mind and envisioned his son (finally) working in the restaurant. It was a time when concept restaurants were multiplying in Geneva, and the Castrilli family had to keep up with current tastes if they were not to sink into monotony and oblivion. Anthony began his career with his godfather, the owner of the Pompei pizzeria on the Champel plateau, an ageing establishment where he fine-tuned the plans for what was to become Osteria Zaza.
From Italy to Mexico
The young restaurateur has completely redesigned the premises, working alongside the indispensable architect Youri Kravtchenko. An exposed pizza oven, an open kitchen, intimate alcoves, a central bar for Aperol Spritz and other coktails… the place is a success and a real eye-opener in the neighborhood. At the same time, he decided to stray from the traditional family path and, against all odds, took over the arcade on rue Montchoisy, which gave birth to Taqueria Los Cuñados. “Following a trip to Mexico, I began to wonder about the craze surrounding Mexican cuisine. We really fell in love with the culture. Alongside his brother-in-law Raphaël Grima, Anthony just can’t stop.
On the crest of the entrepreneurial wave, he decided to completely renovate the family mothership Cinecitta. Noting the popularity of Osteria Zaza and La Taqueria, the patriarch agreed to undertake the work. “We wanted to modernize the whole, while preserving the soul of the place. As my father is a film fan, we made sure to respect the restaurant’s identity while keeping up with the times. Cinecitta 2.0 opened in the middle of Covid, and its new version was a success. The challenge of this rejuvenation was a success, but that didn’t stop Anthony from stopping there. Against all odds, Crans-Montana came calling. He stepped into the breach and opened a mountain-style Taqueria in the heart of the famous Valais resort.
But where will Anthony Castrilli stop? But does he have to stop? Geneva needs young people who build and undertake. Not without pride, Anthony notes how far he’s come without resting on his laurels. There are even whispers that he could pursue his career in Mexico. We can only wish him all the best for the future…
