On Sundays in a small Italian town, a young Massimo Veronesi would hover by the wooden chopping board in his grandmother’s kitchen, watching magic unfold. With a simple rolling pin, she transformed flour and eggs into long, silken sheets of fresh pasta. The aroma of dough and simmering sauce filled the air — an imprint of comfort he carried well into adulthood. Those childhood memories, Massimo recalls, were the beginning of everything.

Today, chef Massimo is the co-owner and heart behind Vabene Pasta Deli, one of Metro Manila’s most beloved destinations for handmade pasta. But the story of how he brought authentic Italian flavors to the bustling Filipino capital is one of quiet perseverance, shared dreams, and the courage to start small.

From one beginning to another

Massimo and his wife, Carolyn, moved to Manila from Florida in 2006, shortly before the birth of their second child. He first worked at The Peninsula Manila for several years, but by 2010, the couple felt the pull toward building something of their own. What Manila lacked, they noticed, was a place serving fresh pasta made the traditional way — rolled, prepared, and cooked to order. So with a modest budget and almost no marketing, they opened the first Vabene Pasta Deli at the Petron station near Dasmariñas Village.

“We didn’t market anything,” Massimo says with a laugh. “We just waited for customers. Then bloggers started to write about us — and suddenly, the line outside was very long.” One rave review changed the trajectory of the small deli, transforming it into a culinary favorite known for authenticity without pretension.

It’s always the heart that keeps everything alive

Fresh pasta remains the heart of Vabene. Massimo explains the craft simply but passionately: flour mixed with a touch of semolina, eggs, olive oil, and salt, kneaded into dough and rested before being rolled into tagliatelle, linguine, pappardelle, or delicate ravioli. Their stuffed pastas, especially the bestselling veal cheeks ravioli with mushroom-truffle sauce, have earned loyal fans. Yet Massimo’s personal favorite is a dish not even on the menu: pasta with just butter and parmesan. “So simple but so nice,” he smiles.

The philosophy behind his cooking is deeply Italian — let the ingredients speak. Some products are imported, like olive oil and tomatoes, but he proudly sources vegetables and seafood locally. For 15 years, Vabene has partnered with farmers, especially in Tagaytay, building relationships that have become as integral to the restaurant as any recipe.

Through the years, Massimo has also watched Filipino diners evolve. “They travel a lot, so they’re very knowledgeable now. When something is authentic, they appreciate it. They’ll say, ‘Oh, this reminds me of Firenze.’” His admiration extends both ways; he has grown to love Filipino food deeply, from kare-kare to adobo to vegetable dishes simmered in coconut milk. The similarity between Italian and Filipino cooking, he notes, lies in their regional diversity — each province with flavors and traditions of its own.