Giovanni Cerroni heads up F&B at Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa

Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa, situated in Ostuni, Italy, is working with Head Chef Giovanni Cerroni to deliver a culinary experience for guests and locals.

The former apprentice of Francesco Bracali, Terry Giacomello and Italo Bassi, and with significant experience at Mugaritz under Andoni Luis Aduriz, Cerroni has developed a quintessentially Mediterranean menu which celebrates local ingredients and famed Italian cuisine, infused with flavours discovered during his years spent working around the world.

Restaurant 700 offers a modern and creative fine dining menu uniquely coupled with an intimate and laid-back atmosphere. Complimented by the finest local vintages from the hotel’s wine cellar, where private wine tastings can be arranged with the resident sommelier, the cuisine is served within a centuries-old vaulted stone room that opens onto the traditional oil mill – now, a convivial table and state-of-the-art kitchen. Beyond the terrace is a swimming pool and garden with an aromatic herb and orange grove, where diners can enjoy breakfast and dinner.

Guests can also enjoy a typical aperitivo at the hotel’s Bar 700 and the lounge, a beautiful space made especially unique by its 8.5-metre-long stone counter clad in antique Argentinian tin-plates. Here, the muted colours along with local wines, innovative cocktails and a wide collection of enticing spirits, provide a relaxing atmosphere. Soft interiors and small bites complete the settings for an evening of enjoyment by the fireplace.