In the Spirit of Marchesi: The Fondazione Gualtiero Marchesi and the Next Generation of Italian Cultural Leadership
Article by Ilona Oltuski
On April 29th, Guglielmo and Bartolomeo – the grandsons of legendary Gualtiero Marchesi and the Fondazione’s new artistic co-directors – hosted an intimate salon for approximately 25 young artists and professionals from various disciplines and walks of life at the Academia Gualtiero Marchesi, which had been transformed into an event space for the evening.
“Our grandfather adored musicians. That’s part of why he opened a restaurant at La Scala; he wanted to be surrounded by them, sharing meals and ideas long after the curtain had fallen. For him, art and the kitchen were inseparable—like family, they were sources of warmth, connection, and creative energy”, recalls Guglielmo.
“We hoped to evoke the essence of that spirit at this outreach event in April, because as my grandfather always said: 'Setting an example is the highest form of teaching,’ notes Guglielmo, considering these guiding principles for their understanding of inspirational leadership.
The gathering was grounded in the warmth of familial ties, with a shared purpose uniting diverse talents in a common mission: fostering an environment of openness, generosity, and mutual encouragement. As part of the program, the group engaged in a cooking masterclass, followed by a convivial dinner that unfolded into an immersive celebration of creativity. The evening featured poetry, live music, singing, and theatrical improvisations by the guests, transforming the occasion into a vivid expression of the spirit shaping the future of Fondazione Gualtiero Marchesi (FGM).
With a mission to support the next generation of creatives and facilitate international artistic exchange, the Fondazione has recently forged new alliances by becoming part of the Global Impact Circle. Headquartered in New York, the Global Impact Circle enables each partnering foundation to tap into its broader international network of industry-leading professionals, artists, and educators.
With its entrepreneurial and reputable history, deeply rooted in the local community, Fondazione Gualtiero Marchesi (FGM), led by its next generation, became the perfect partner for growing that aspirational impact together. FGM started by establishing partnerships in the hospitality sector, helping to ease one of the most persistent logistical challenges artists face: accommodation and travel arrangements. Reducing such practical burdens enables artists to focus entirely on their creative endeavors.
Drawing on the legacy of the three-star Michelin restaurateur Gualtiero Marchesi, renowned for creating Italian Nouvelle Cuisine, the foundation’s new artistic co-directors continue his commitment to excellence and innovation. Both are professional musicians and members of the Alinde Quartett, which Bart (cellist) and Guglielmo (violinist) co-founded alongside Guglielmo’s wife, Eugenia Ottaviano (violinist). Eugenia also leads the foundation’s programming, logistics, and outreach efforts. Their shared passion for the rich artistic traditions of the arts, a fundamental attribute of Italian culture across multiple modalities, is the driving force behind their work.
“Growing up, I spent lots of time in close proximity with my grandfather, a man of great persona and charisma. I assisted him a lot, creating photo presentations of his signature dishes and the videos for his interviews. In his kitchen, he became a true mentor, and the biggest takeaway was about how to tell a story. He always knew how to deliver a message and make his listeners feel as passionate as he was about his vision, which was the essence of everything he did,” explains Bartolomeo.
“Long before Guglielmo and Eugenia moved back to Italy, with their young daughter, Dora, while still based in Germany, we met Mark Prihodko – a gifted cellist with an amazing entrepreneurial vision, now a co-founder of the Global Impact Circle, who right from the start became an essential addition to our close-knit family. Mark’s enthusiasm for concerted efforts of scaling each of the foundations’ and its supported artists' success, resembling our grandfather's grand gestures, truly awakened my brother’s and my passion for taking over the reins of Fondazione's work,” adds Bartolomeo.
Eugenia is confident that this newly shared leadership will become a powerful resource for emerging artists, equipping them with the tools to better navigate market realities and develop the self-management skills she had to learn the hard way. “People are increasingly aware that art shapes their lives in many profound ways, and Gualtiero Marchesi certainly understood that,” she recalls. “I remember one of our last family lunches, just before he passed away on the final day of Christmas in 2017. We were all gathered in the kitchen, talking about music.”
“I wanted to return home with the experiences I made abroad, as a performing musician, as a member of our string ensemble, and as a mother”, adds Eugenia. “My dream is to raise a next generation of young people who value the arts, since this makes humanity work. It worries me that governments often cut funding for the arts before funding other areas. I want to contribute to a stable future for the arts and create a reliable ecosystem for the next generation of talent and its audience members. I strongly believe that the Global Impact Circle will enhance each collaborator's programs’ exposure and inspire new directions of working together as a synergetic organism,” explains Eugenia. But most of all, Eugenia and Dandolo Marchesi brothers believe in living by setting an example, as parents, and as the aspirational musicians they are, with every fiber of their being.
“Ultimately, it is all about people,” says Mark Prihodko, who has forged the initial relationship with the musicians of the quartet, which has developed into something much bigger. As the artistic director of the Althafen Foundation, and through the Global Impact Circle, he aims to continue empowering young people, fostering community engagement, and enhancing their community, creating a more vibrant place, and collaborating on innovative ideas. We all need mentors who help navigate challenges, and a strong support network is essential in a society as fragmented as ours. It truly takes a village.”