Where a Michelin-Starred Chef Eats in Modena

A phenomenal Modena edition

Welcome to The Relisher’s Modena edition! This week I met with Jessica Rosval, who moved to Italy in 2013 to join the team at Osteria Francescana, Massimo Bottura’s three-Michelin-starred icon.

Today, she is the chef behind Al Gatto Verde, the groundbreaking restaurant inside Casa Maria Luigia—Bottura’s country house just outside the city. The restaurant has earned both a Michelin Red Star and Green Star, and in 2025 landed on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

Jessica is also the force behind Roots, a pioneering restaurant and training program for migrant women that has made her one of Italy’s most inspiring chefs.

Below, she reveals her favorite Modena restaurants, where to taste the best balsamic vinegar and Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan) in the world, the city’s most incredible tortellini, and so much more (a Google Map with all of the locations is provided at the end of the interview).

I especially loved this interview. Jessica doesn’t just list restaurants—she opens a window into Modena’s soul, from the centuries-old barrels where balsamic vinegar ages to the white cows producing the rarest parmesan. Her perspective made me want to book a trip immediately, especially to experience those once-in-a-lifetime flavors at their source.