Silvia Barban

Chef Silvia Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy, and spent her summers in southern Italy where her Mother's family lives. She grew up cooking with my grandmother and always admired her ability to bring people together through her cooking. She took Barban under her wing and provided her with an outlet for all her wild child energy! Her Grandmother became sick and passed away when Barban was 10, which was when she decided she wanted to cook for people in a way to make them happy and bring everyone together. Cooking makes her feel so close to her in a way she wouldn’t otherwise.

Barban eventually graduated from "E.Maggia" Stresa culinary school, and found her way in the kitchen of the Maestro of Italian cuisine, Gualtiero Marchesi. She worked as a pastry chef, learning to cook modern and traditional dessert for Giancarlo Perbellini, and later moved into the kitchen as Chef de Partie. In 2012, she jumped at the opportunity to move to New York for the opening of Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina. She was originally meant to be a part of a three month consulting team, but stayed on as sous chef, relishing the opportunity to work in Manhattan. Two years later Barban received an offer to become Executive Chef at Aita in Brooklyn, where she directed the restaurant using fresh local produce to create traditional and modern Italian dishes.

In 2016, Barban competed in Season 14 of Bravo's Top Chef. At the same time she had decided to open a new restaurant along with her now partners. She opened Larina Pastificio e Vino in Fort Greene Brooklyn as Chef and Co-Owner upon her return from filming where she uses the inspiration of her childhood in Northern and Southern Italy as well as her current travels in my dishes.