We’ve learned a lot from Chef Marco’s Italian Cooking Masterclass last Saturday, but how about from his experience as an expat in Qatar?

Read on to know more about Chef Marco’s expat story.

Chef Marco was born in Udine, Italy. He grew up helping at his grandparents’ restaurant, and that inspired him to pursue his culinary career. Since then, Chef Marco has cooked for several places around the world including Italy, Libya, Bulgaria, Singapore, Malaysia before finally arriving here in Qatar.

On why he chose Qatar, Chef Marco said “Qatar chose me and I was very excited to work in Middle East. I never visited this country before moving here. I like the safety of this place.”

Chef Marco is the current Chef de Cuisine at Paper Moon Doha, one of the best Italian restaurants here in Qatar. When asked about his job at Paper Moon, which he fondly calls his “passion”, Chef Marco says “The best part is making people happy. Always we try to give the best experience.”

Because of his work, Chef Marco doesn’t get to explore much around Doha. He also mentioned missing his family and the mountains back home. However, he encourages his fellow expats to “try to explore this beautiful country [Qatar] as much as you can.”

Aside from delicious cooking, Chef Marco stays inspired with the world around him, from the great outdoors to the books he reads to relax.

His life advice for everyone? “You have to catch the lightning that illuminates the darkness. Get ready to surprise yourself and don’t be afraid of changing. Expect the unexpected”.