Fourth-generation Roman chef Diego Reali is continuing his family’s culinary legacy in Kuala Lumpur through Stefania Ristorante Italiano and Stefania Osteria.
Born and raised in Rome, Reali learnt to cook alongside his mother, Stefania Cristofari, and his grandmother, building on traditions passed through several generations of his family.
The family’s restaurant history dates back to 1958, when Reali’s great-grandfather opened Hosteria Amedeo, a neighbourhood trattoria near Rome built around traditional Italian cooking.
Those early influences shaped Reali’s approach to ingredients and Roman cuisine before he went on to train in professional kitchens across Rome.
His subsequent career included time at Michelin-starred Lindsay House in London before he relocated to Kuala Lumpur more than a decade ago.
In December 2024, Reali opened Stefania Ristorante Italiano at Naza Tower in Kuala Lumpur.
Named in tribute to his mother, the restaurant centres on Roman cooking through handmade pasta, ragù and meats prepared over a Josper grill.
The concept draws heavily on Reali’s family recipes while incorporating techniques developed throughout his professional career.
In February 2026, he expanded the brand with Stefania Osteria in Damansara Heights.
The second restaurant adopts a more informal neighbourhood format, with dishes designed for family-style sharing while retaining the Roman influences established at the original Stefania.
Reali’s approach focuses on preserving the identity of traditional dishes while adapting elements such as texture and balance to the local dining market.
Italian ingredients are incorporated alongside techniques and produce selected to maintain the character of the dishes rather than recreating them purely as replicas of their Roman counterparts.
The two restaurants also represent different interpretations of the same family heritage, with Stefania Ristorante Italiano offering a more structured dining experience and Stefania Osteria providing a casual format centred around communal eating.
Through both concepts, Reali continues a family restaurant tradition that began more than six decades ago while establishing it within Kuala Lumpur’s contemporary dining scene.
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