Isabella Potì: Success has no finish line
Her own restaurant at 20, the Forbes “30 Under 30” list at 21, a Michelin star not long after that. Isabella Potì’s already had a career that would take other people several lifetimes to achieve. At Bros‘, the restaurant she and husband Floriano Pellegrino run in Martina Franca, Puglia, her culinary creations combine traditional Puglian flavors with creative, modern style. And when she’s not juggling the Pellegrino Brothers Group, three children, and a slate of modeling jobs and media appearances, Isabella Potì also manages a rugby club.
Exceptional, no exception
Basically, The 30-year-old breaks with almost every existing stereotype in the Michelin cuisine world. Nonetheless, Isabella Potì doesn’t see herself as an exception in the – still male-dominated – gastronomy world. “I believe that food service should be a place where talent, dedication, and creativity matter more than anything else. What matters isn’t being an exception,” the RATIONAL brand ambassador adds. “It’s creating an environment where everyone has a chance to unleash their potential.” She’s never given any thought to being a woman in a male-dominated profession – she’s always been too focused on learning, improving, and doing her work as well as possible. “But if my story can encourage other young women to pursue ambitious goals without feeling constrained by expectations, I’m glad.”
People are often underestimated when they’re young, Potì says. “That’s true regardless of gender, but it can certainly affect women more in professional kitchens. I learned very early on that consistency is the best response. Over time, results speak louder than words. You can’t demand respect – you earn it through dedication and perseverance.”
Familial role models
Potì, the child of a Polish mother and an Italian father, basically has cooking written into her DNA. Born in Rome in 1995, she grew up in a family for whom food has always been a means of connection, of celebrating big moments or simply being together. She herself started preparing desserts with her mother at age seven. “It left a lasting impression on me,” she says today. The women in her family became her first role models. “They taught me that cooking isn’t just about technique; it’s also about generosity, memories, and care. Later on, I was fortunate enough to travel around and spend time learning from some of Europe’s biggest chefs, but the values I learned at home have always remained fundamental to everything I do.”
But this still isn’t an automatic recipe for success, Potì notes. “Success comes from curiosity, discipline, resilience, and an infinite desire to learn. It also comes from surrounding yourself with people who challenge and inspire you. But the most important thing is consistency, especially when things get tough. You grow by persevering even when things aren’t easy, and by remaining humble enough to keep learning.”
Running a restaurant means more than just cooking, the Michelin-starred chef adds. It requires leadership skills, organization, communication, attention to detail, and the ability to build a strong team culture. “A successful restaurant is the result of many different people cooperating in pursuit of a common vision. Customers only see the final experience, but an enormous amount of teamwork, trust, and dedication lies behind it. The human aspect is every bit as important as the culinary one.”
Professional equipment
Today’s professional kitchens need not just the right people, but the right equipment as well. Isabella Potì’s a firm believer in the world market leader for commercial kitchen appliances – and not just as a RATIONAL brand ambassador, but also as a user. The team at Bros’ uses two RATIONAL iCombi´s along with an iVario, which the chef calls “fantastic appliances (that) play an important role in our day-to-day work.” As she puts it: “What I appreciate most is the ability to create customized programs. They help us standardize our work and give our team more freedom while helping us maintain the same quality day after day.”
Potì says the cooking systems save loads of time, minimize user error, and give the whole team a sense of constancy, adding, “I appreciate their reliability and durability.” What’s her favorite thing to make in her RATIONAL appliances? “Bread, without a doubt. They make perfectly baked bread a lot easier and more consistent than it was in the past.”
Another major benefit, she says, is that the digital technology allows her to check in on kitchen preparations remotely. After all, Isabella Potì isn’t just a chef. She’s also a mother of three… and the president of a rugby club. She says the sport is based on the same values as professional kitchens: discipline, respect, dedication, and teamwork. “What I love most about it is the sense of community. Nobody wins on their own in rugby, and I think the same goes for food. Behind every great success, there’s always a team working together towards a common goal. That spirit of cooperation and collective responsibility appeals to me deeply.”
What really counts
According to Potì, juggling this passion along with work and family isn’t a given; it’s something she has to work at every day. “When I became a mother, I didn’t think my career was compatible with children. But then we learned to organize ourselves differently, to slow some things down and value time in a whole new way. Motherhood changed me profoundly. I realized what really mattered; it made me more aware and more grateful. My work remains an essential part of who I am, but today I understand that success isn’t just measured in terms of your career.”
And then there’s the matter of working with one’s husband. Running a hospitality business is a stressful undertaking already – what’s it like working shoulder-to-shoulder with one’s partner? “It works because we’re people who share a common vision first, and then business partners second. It can be challenging, of course. When you live and work together, there’s hardly any separation between professional and personal life. But over the years, we’ve learn to trust each other’s strengths and respect each other’s differing views. What unites us is our shared passion for creating something meaningful. We challenge each other, support each other, help each other grow. I think mutual respect and trust are the foundation for both a strong relationship and a successful partnership.”
New paths
So at age 30, has Isabella Potì accomplished everything she wants to? “Not at all.” The moment someone thinks they’ve made it, she says, they stop developing. But her goals have indeed shifted: meaningful projects, a strong team, supporting younger generations… and continuing to develop as a chef. And as a person. “Success has no finish line. It’s an ongoing process of questioning yourself and finding new ways to improve.”
Which is why she advises aspiring young culinary professionals to stay curious and patient. Oh… and to travel. “Work in different places and remain open to criticism. Skill is important, but dedication, humility, and perseverance are what help you grow over time. And don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they’re often the most valuable lessons. The most important thing is to always remember that this job requires passion, because that passion is what will get you through the difficult moments.”
Quick bio: Isabella Potì
Isabella Potì, born December 26, 1995 in Rome, is an expert chef, pâtissière, and entrepreneur with Italian-Polish roots.
Today, she and husband Floriano Pellegrino co-own and run Bros’, a restaurant in Martina Franca, Apulia. Potì is also a co-founder of the Pellegrino Brothers group, which includes several hospitality and creative projects.
- Training (selection): positions at Claude Bosi (London), Martín Berasategui (Spain), and Mirazur (Menton).
- Awards: Forbes “30 Under 30 Europe” (2017), first Michelin star at Bros’ (2018).
- Media: Jury member for MasterChef Italia and Il Ristorante degli Chef; author of the cookbook “Millennial Cooking”. Modeling campaigns for Nike, Maserati, Land Rover, and Amazon; cover shoots for Vogue and Vanity Fair, among others.
- Culinary style: Avant-garde, minimalistic, aromatic
As the official brand ambassador for the professional kitchen-equipment manufacturer RATIONAL, Isabella Potì combines her signature avant-garde style and pâtisserie expertise with modern, efficient kitchen technology.
