FABRIZIO AIELLI, CHEF OWNER
Fabrizio was born in the heart of the Adriatic coast of Venice, Italy where he began his culinary career. Growing up in Venice, Chef Aielli nurtured a fascination for cooking at his mother’s stove. After working in Venice, he moved away to gain experience in some of the best restaurants and hotels around the world. He eventually returned home to become executive chef of the renowned Taverna la Fenice next to Venice’s opera house. His years of practice included fine restaurants in Italy, the Caribbean and Washington, DC.
In 1995, Chef Aielli and his wife Ingrid opened the fifirst of their restaurants, Goldoni in 1995 followed by Osteria Goldoni in 1998, and finally Teatro Goldoni in 1999. The latter was acclaimed as one of the best new restaurants in the country by Esquire magazine; and Gourmet magazine named Teatro Goldoni as one of the top twenty restaurants in Washington DC. Teatro Goldoni also was recognized by the Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, and Food & Wine Magazine. Teatro Goldoni was a recipient of the prestigious
AAA Five Diamond Award and Diroma Award.
In 2007 Fabrizio and Ingrid moved permanently to Naples seeking a location for their next restaurant. Sea Salt opened in November of 2008 to high praise including Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant.
In 2012 Chef Aielli launched Barbatella, a Spirited Italian Trattoria just steps away from Sea Salt on picturesque Third Street South. The popular trattoria highlights Chef Fabrizio’s favorite classic Italian dishes.
INGRID AIELLI, OWNER
A native of Bratislava, Slovakia, Ingrid began her restaurant career alongside of her husband Fabrizio in Washington DC. After much success in Washington DC, she and her husband Fabrizio set their sights on Naples. Soon after relocating to Naples they opened Sea Salt in 2008, and Barbatella in 2012, both on Historic Third Street South in Old Naples.
Ingrid heads the public relations and charitable donations for her restaurants. She is co-chair of the Nane Kimijan Memorial Scholarship fund (in honor of her late brother) which provides college scholarships to Naples High school students. She is also a member of La Chaine des Rotisseurs, the oldest and largest food & wine society in the world. Ingrid was the 2001 Woman of the Year by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.