Silvio Ursini is a Group Executive Vice President of Bulgari, in charge of the Bulgari Hotels and Resorts Division strategic and creative direction. Prior to this assignment he has been Group Creative Director since 1990, overseeing all the creative and communication departments of the Bulgari Brand, and working closely with the CEO Francesco Trapani to transform a venerable Jewellery house into a Global Luxury brand.
A graduate of Magna Cum Laude of Georgetown University in International business, he worked for Procter and Gamble and RSCG Advertising before joining Bulgari. He is also an entrepreneur, having founded an Italian Restaurant chain concept called Obika’ Mozzarella Bar, which today has 18 units worldwide.
At 50 years old, Silvio is married with two children and he sits on the Board of Save The Children Italia. A man of motivation and balance!I had the pleasure of meeting Silvio Ursini who shares two passions of mine; Italian culture and Bulgari Hotels!
Silvio was a true character, saturated with class, character and true authenticity! The Bulgari Hotel in London oozes quality of produce, design and service and when I was invited to meet Silvio in person at his newly opened restaurant called Obika in Charlotte Street, my response was pure excitement!
Silvio explains his restaurant Obika ” Obika translates as ‘Here it is’. In the dialect of my home town of Naples, this is how we describe something that’s happening right before your eyes, like a freshly made Mozzarella, still dripping from its brine and ready to be eaten there and then.
INTERVIEW
What is your earliest memory of food?
Sourdough bread dipped in hot milk and honey
What’s your favorite hangout in London/Worldwide?
I don’t hangout. …. I like markets, Bourough market and Brixton in London
Who is your favorite chef at the moment?
Luca Fantin at The Bulgari Ristorante Ginza Tokyo
Can you give us one word you can use to describe food?
A miracle
What’s in store for the next year?
Opening of Obike’ in New York on Broadway, celebrations for our ten years anniversary
What do you do to get away from everything?
Go to the countryside, Tuscany, and….cook
What was the last thing that really made you stop and stare?
The Slow Food University in Pollenza, Piedmont
