Roberto Bearzi was born in Milan, Italy, where he grew up in the kitchen under the guidance of his mother and grandmother. As both women prepared hearty family feasts every Sunday, Roberto and his twin brother, Emanuele, learned how to make northern Italy staples like polenta and risotto, as well as delectable pastries like cannoncini. In 1987, Bearzi decided to pursue his passion for cooking professionally and enrolled in the renowned Amerigo Vespucci Culinary Institute of Milan, where he underwent rigorous training.

Upon graduation, Bearzi began his career in Milan’s finest restaurants, including Le Api Osteria and Il Vecchio Canneto. He also began traveling to experience indigenous ingredients, recipes and culinary techniques. His travels took him across Europe from Hamburg, Germany, where he worked at the Four Seasons Hotel, to Paris, France. His time in Europe served to further hone his culinary skills and he gained the confidence to develop his own personal touch.

In 1991, Bearzi came to Miami to help open the iconic Café Milano nestled on the bustling, pastel-colored Ocean Drive but it wasn’t until 1997 that he made a permanent move to the United States after meeting his wife Fiorella Blanco in Costa Rica.

While Bearzi worked as Executive Chef in numerous restaurants across the city, including Perricone’s Marketplace & Café and La Loggia Restaurant, Blanco held numerous front-of-the-house positions including waitress, hostess and manager at other local establishments. With plenty of restaurant experience under their belts, the two decided to open their own venture in 2006 with Bearzi’s twin brother, Emanuele. Ristorante Fratelli Milano, situated in Downtown Miami, instantly became a success and doubled in size to keep pace with the demand for the chefs’ reasonably-priced, Italian fare.

Twelve years after the inception of Fratelli Milano, Bearzi and his wife Fiorella opened their second restaurant concept, vista. The two-story restaurant, located in Miami’s newest burgeoning neighborhood and micro-boutique destination of Upper Buena Vista, offers patrons global cuisine inspired by Miami’s fusion of cultures and flavors.