Inside the Kitchen: Seven Questions with Marco Giugliano of Mano Libera

Chef Marco Giugliano built his career in restaurants across Italy, Europe, and the United States before opening Mano Libera in Miami. In this edition of Inside the Kitchen, the Campania native shares the dish he could eat every day, the Sunday ragù that still transports him back to childhood, and why great cooking starts with simplicity.

Paul Feinstein

5 Minute read

29 Jun 2026

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What Is Your Deserted Island Meal?

My deserted island meal would definitely be a good pasta dish, probably pasta with fresh tomato sauce and Parmesan. I could eat it every day and never get tired of it.

What’s Your Most Poignant Food Memory?

My Ratatouille moment is connected to my mom making Neapolitan ragù on Sundays. That smell in the house instantly brings me back to childhood, family, and the feeling of home.

What Does Fine Dining Mean to You?

To me, fine dining is not just about eating well, it's about living an experience. It's attention to detail, quality, attentive service, and the ability to make guests feel special from beginning to end.

What Are Your Restaurant Goals or Dreams?

My dream in the restaurant world is to see my restaurant always full, with people happy about the food and the service, and above all, to make everyone feel at home.

What’s On Your Restaurant Bucket List to Visit?

One of the restaurants on my bucket list is Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris.

What Is Your Food/Cooking Philosophy?

My philosophy about food and cooking is that simplicity, when done with quality ingredients and passion, can become something truly special. Food should create emotions and memories.

What's Your Comfort Food?

My comfort food is definitely traditional Italian cuisine. Those dishes that taste like home and family.

The Chef

Marco Giugliano, chef and owner of Mano Libera in Miami, fuses contemporary techniques and traditional Italian flavors inspired by his roots in Campania, to create a culinary journey in an intimate setting.

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About the author

Paul Feinstein is the Managing Editor of Fine Dining Lovers and has been writing and editing in Los Angeles and around the world for more than two decades.

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