Roberto Donna was born in Torino, Italy and began his professional training at an early age. In order to expand his knowledge of the culinary arts, he worked in kitchens throughout England, France & Switzerland. It came as little surprise when he was asked to work in Washington, DC for one year at the prestigious Restaurant Romeo and Juliet. 21 years later, in 2001, Mr. Donna was made a U.S. citizen.

Since his arrival in the U.S., award winning chef and restaurateur Roberto Donna has built his own prestigious restaurant group in the nation's capital while maintaining his lifetime mission of introducing others to the authentic flavors of Italy. Mr. Donna has not forgotten his heritage for a day-and uses his public position to help others properly understand his country and culture.

Mr. Donna's efforts have been applauded near and far. In 1997 Wine Spectator named his flagship Galileo "One of the 10 best Italian restaurants in America," and since 1997 they have annually presented him with The Grand Award Of Excellence for one of the 100 best wine cellars in the world. The President of Italy named Galileo one of the 20 finest restaurants in the world outside of Italy. Blue Ribbon Award winners of Washingtonian Magazine's 100 Best Restaurants since 1990, his restaurants have also been high reader picks in Washington DC Zagat guides.

Additional recognition includes the prestigious James Beard Award for the Best Chef Mid Atlantic in 1996, induction into Nation's Restaurant News Fine Dining Hall Of Fame, and the DiRoNa (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award from 1990 to the present.

Mr. Donna is Chairman of the Gruppo Ristoritori Italiani, an organization with the goal of promoting authentic Italian food and culture in the United States. Locally, he is on the Board of Directors of the DC Central Kitchen and American Institute of Wine and Food. As an active member of Share Our Strength and The James Beard Foundation he participates in numerous charity events across the country.