Trained in Bergamo, Italy, by some of the region’s most noted chefs, Marc Vetri brings a bold, contemporary sensibility to classic Italian cooking. Marc opened Vetri, his intimate fine-dining restaurant in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia in 1998. His outstanding pastas, innovative flavor combinations and artful presentations captured diners’ imaginations and propelled Marc to the forefront of culinary trends.

Marc has opened several additional restaurants since then. In all of the restaurants, his flavors are simple yet pronounced. Freshness is his muse. He chooses the finest seasonal ingredients from local farm markets and premium purveyors around the US and Italy. He keeps cooking to a minimum and preparations straightforward. “Cooking is about finding high-quality, regional ingredients,” he says, “then using the simplest techniques to convey their purity.”

Marc is actively involved in many philanthropic causes. In 2009, Marc and his business partner, Jeff Benjamin, created the Vetri Foundation for Children. Its mission is to promote healthy living styles among at-risk youth. One of the foundation’s signature initiatives is its “Eatiquette” school lunch improvement program in which children experience the connection between healthy eating and healthy living. Marc and Jeff are also the founders of the “Great Chefs Event”, to which Great Chefs Television loaned their brand name. The Event brings together scores of the country’s greatest chefs to raise money and awareness for the pediatric cancer charity, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.