Our Story

Urbani Family & Chef Fabrizio Facchini

THE URBANI FAMILY, SIX GENERATIONS DEDICATED TO TRUFFLES WITH LOVE AND PASSION.

Chef Fabrizio Facchini is Brand Ambassador for Urbani Truffles. The story of Urbani Truffles starts with Constantine Urbani in 1852, he began exporting fresh truffles from Italy to France which ultimately created the Urbani business that has been growing ever since. Exports quickly expanded to other countries such as Germany, Switzerland and other regions of Italy. Constantine’s heir was Paulo Urbani Senior who would later be followed by Carlo Urbani. Carlo, with the invaluable help of his wife Olga, not only became a pioneer of truffle cultivation in Italy but also a great entrepreneur who reorganized his company by putting the focus on his beloved truffle hunters and creating the internationally prominent company the world knows today. Since the beginning; Urbani's passion and love for truffles has been the sole component that keeps everyone at Urbani driven for success. Paolo and Bruno Urbani; Olga and Carlo senior’s sons, are the fourth generation of the family. They have been able to combine technological innovation and the most genuine tradition in a flourishing, family-run industry. Paolo Urbani, who really succeeded in giving the family jewel a new face, was also appointed “Cavaliere del Lavoro” for making the truffle a feather in the cap of the Italian market, a product popular all over the world. Since Bruno Urbani shifted from his significant positions in the industrial and banking corporations of Italy, he has been leading the group. He is now completely devoted in being a precious teacher for future generations.

The current Urbani generation, Olga, Carlo and Giammarco, developed important International branches, the Truffle Museum, the Truffle Academy and the Urbani Travels&Tours.Olga, Paolo’s daughter, directs the following departments with resolution and passion; the administration, public relations, corporate image, and legal & corporate affairs of Urbani and its subsidiaries.
Giammarco, Bruno’s son, already a successful entrepreneur, now leads the marketing department in Italy and other International markets including the United States and he keeps his eye on any other emerging markets. It is his intuition to expand to the world of mushrooms, inaugurating the Urbani Mushroom Division. Carlo, Bruno’s son, tirelessly leads the foreign and Italian markets, assuring the efficient and widespread distribution of fresh and preserved products. Luca and Francesco Loreti, Olga’s sons, are the company’s sixth generation. Luca, under the careful guidance of his uncle Carlo, has been working for several years in international marketing. Francesco, (21 years old) has started his career in the field of fresh truffles, and has now moved on to his first major project: truffle cultivation. He still continues to work with incredible enthusiasm in both Italian and International sales of Urbani Mushrooms, under the excellent guidance of his uncles Giammarco and Bruno. Ginevra Urbani, Giammarco’s daughter, who is only three, cries when she has to go home after visiting the company, a sign that the family truffle conquers anyone who meets the fascinating flavor of this “family affair”.

CHEF FABRIZIO FACCHINI

URBANI BRAND AMBASSADOR

Fabrizio Facchini, with his wife Samira, has been the a Chef and Owner of the small Boutique Hotel And Restaurant “Antico Borgo in Arcevia, Le Marche Region” in Italy since 2009. Father of four wonderful kids, he has been recognized and published in the Michelin Italy Guide since 2012 and other prestigious guides, magazines, press and food blogs around over the world.

He moved from Italy with his family to San Diego in 2015 and and since 2017 live in NY State. Fabrizio is an Executive Chef and Business Owner in the USA and he was awarded by the Italian American Chamber in New York for his work bringing an Authentic Italian Cuisine to the USA. He has opened and developed Taverna Novo in Saratoga Springs and other concepts in NYC and he just opened Cotto – Cucina Italiana in the new Renaissance Hotel in Chelsea New York.

Fabrizio is part of the Slow Food Chef Alliance in Italy and the USA. He is the Co-Chair of Cooks Alliance Slow Food USA and Cooks Alliance President Slow Food New York State. He has participated in Denver at Slow Food Nations Festival 2018 where he cooked at the Zero Waste Family Meal with Massimo Bottura and other famous chefs.
In 2019 he created the Italian Kitchen at the SFN2019 inviting and collaborating with renowned Chefs, Food Lovers, Authors as Antonio Starita, Alex Seidel, Alice Waters, and many others.

He was invited in 2018 to cook a dinner at the prestigious James Beard House.

Fabrizio is a board member as Adviser of AICNY (Association Italian Chefs Of New York). Fabrizio is also involved in other foundations and nonprofit organizations such as Food For Soul, Nature Kids in Costa Rica, Sons of Italy, NoKidsHungry, FoodBankNY, Noah Homes San Diego and others. He appeared on Food Network and other TV shows. His collaboration in Fundraising Events like NYCWFF and City Harvest with Friend Chefs such Rocco DiSpirito, Geoffrey Zakarian, Guy Fieri, Lidia Bastianich, Michele Mazza, Cesare Casella and many orthers has permitted to raise money to help community and causes.
Fabrizio is also a Brand Ambassador for Urbani Truffles, Pasta Di Martino and DiSano Pistacchio di Bronte. Since 2020, Fabrizio is part of Associazione Italiana Ambasciatori Del Gusto.

During the Pandemic crisis Covid-19, Fabrizio founded the non-profit Italians Feed America (www.italiansfeedamerica.org), the organization has for mission to help people in need fighting the hunger, feeding the Frontline Workers and helping restaurant industry & restaurant workers.

The association has provided hundred thousands of meals to Americans and New Yorkers. Personalities and friends has joined Chef Fabrizio in the board: Rocco Dispirito, Elizabeth Falkner, Michele Mazza, Francesco Panella, Cesare Casella,...click to read more about Italians Feed America

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