Chef Francesco Stara celebrates Sardinia through the landscapes of Fradis Minoris. His cuisine is rooted in biodiversity, seasonality, sustainability, and a deep respect for the lagoon and the Mediterranean Sea. Through forgotten species, ancient preservation techniques, and close relationships with local producers and fishermen, he presents a contemporary vision of Sardinian cuisine shaped by nature, culture, and responsibility.
The Best Chef: Francesco, after travelling the world for fifteen years, what brought you back to Sardinia?
Francesco Stara: I came back during the pandemic, for this project. After many years abroad, working in different countries, I felt the possibility to return home and do something connected to my own territory. But it was not simply about coming back to Sardinia.
It was about finding a place where cuisine could exist together with nature, research, and sustainability.
I was very lucky because I found people here who already had this vision. They understood the value of this place long before the restaurant existed.
The Best Chef: Fradis Minoris is located in a very unique environment. How important is the place itself to your cooking?
Francesco Stara: The place is everything. We are on this strip of land that separates the lagoon from the sea. In the past, this area was a Roman cave. The stone extracted here was used to build Nora, one of the first cities of Sardinia.
The Phoenicians and Romans understood the importance of this location because the lagoon was a sustainable source of life. It was like a natural fish market. Today, we are continuing that relationship with the territory, but in a contemporary way.
The Best Chef: Before becoming a restaurant, Fradis Minoris was connected to conservation and marine research. How did that influence your cuisine?
Francesco Stara: The restaurant came after the place itself. This area had been abandoned, and there was an opportunity to develop something connected to marine biology and fish farming. Over time, through different experiences, we understood the natural value of the lagoon and the importance of protecting it.
Our management model was studied by the University of Rome Tor Vergata as a pilot project for integrated lagoon management.
Traditionally, Sardinian lagoons were only used for fishing. We wanted to explore another possibility: how gastronomy could become part of protecting the ecosystem.
The Best Chef: Sustainability is often discussed today. What does it mean in practical terms for your kitchen?
Francesco Stara: For us, sustainability begins with accepting what nature gives us.
There are many species in the lagoon that are not considered valuable commercially. Some people call them “alien species”, others simply ignore them. But they are part of the ecosystem.
We try to understand these ingredients, not reject them.
Every day is different. Some days we receive three kilograms of fish, other days fifty kilograms. This changes everything in the kitchen. We cannot have a rigid routine because the sea does not work with a schedule.
The Best Chef: Your cuisine also looks deeply into Sardinian history. Why is the past important for you?
Francesco Stara: Because tradition is not something frozen. We work with ingredients and techniques that have existed for centuries. For example, garum, the fermented fish sauce used by the Romans, is part of our menu because fermentation was a way of preserving food when refrigeration did not exist.
We also reinterpret classics from Sardinia: minestrone, culurgiones, stuffed calamari, bottarga pasta, casada. The objective is not to reproduce the past. It is to continue the story.
The Best Chef: What does being a chef today mean to you?
Francesco Stara: A chef has the responsibility to create awareness.
Food can communicate many things: culture, biodiversity, history, and the relationship between humans and nature.
A restaurant is not only a place where people eat. It can become a place where people understand something new.
For me, the greatest achievement is when guests leave not only remembering a flavour, but understanding the territory behind it.
The Best Chef: Define “The Best Chef” in one word.
Francesco Stara: Respect.
Respect for ingredients, respect for people, respect for traditions, and respect for the environment that allows us to cook. Because without respect, there is no future for gastronomy.
Restaurant Instagram: @fra_stara @fradisminoris
Restaurant Website: fradisminoris.it/en
Restaurant Address: Laguna di Nora Località, Viale Nora, 09050 Pula CA
