Over lunch, Giorgio Rapicavoli bounces between topics. One moment he’s talking about wine; the next he’s discussing a new restaurant or a menu idea.
The Miami chef and restaurateur oversees Eating House and Luca Osteria and says he’s in the kitchen five to six nights a week. He’s also preparing to open Luca Trattoria on Normandy Isle and Luca Steak, an Italian-inspired steakhouse in Wynwood.
“I think the reason people get tired with work is because it drains them,” Rapicavoli says. “Work doesn’t drain me. I get excited.”
Born and raised in Miami to an Italian mother and Argentine father, Rapicavoli grew up surrounded by food traditions. There were family asados, homemade pasta, and summers spent in Italy.
“I’ve never really known anything but this,” he says.
He entered restaurant kitchens at 17 and worked his way up to chef de cuisine. A victory on Food Network’s Chopped brought national attention in 2012 and opened doors beyond Miami, including an opportunity to relocate to New York. He chose to stay and help shape his hometown’s culinary scene.
“This city is all I’ve ever known,” he says.
That commitment to Miami led to Eating House, a Coral Gables pop-up that opened in 2012. Built with longtime friend and business partner Alex Casanova, the original restaurant ran on creativity, hustle, and whatever resources they could find. They relied on Publix buy-one-get-one-free deals and rain checks when products were out of stock, creating dishes based on what ingredients were on sale. They built a following through sheer determination and Tang mimosas.
When Luca Osteria opened in Coral Gables in 2021, it gave him the opportunity to dive deeper into the Italian cuisine that shaped his childhood. His responsibilities also extended beyond the food.
“Cooking is my passion. Wine is my obsession,” he says.
Rapicavoli took charge of building the restaurant’s wine list himself. Its selections range from Barolo and Barbaresco to California Chardonnay and Argentine Malbec, giving him another subject to explore alongside his work in the kitchen.
“I always wanted to take on new challenges,” he says. “It allowed me to challenge myself in a way that I hadn’t been challenged with food.”
