Video/The famous Italian chef starts his Giro from Albania! In nature, with meatballs

"21 stages, 21 recipes: one for each territory traversed by the most beautiful race in the world."
Departure? From Albania – with Albanian meatballs.
With this description, Chef Max Mariola has published the first video of his new gastronomic project, accompanying the Giro d'Italia 2025, which this year starts for the first time from Albania.
Known for his energy, passion and respect for Mediterranean culinary traditions, Mariola has decided to celebrate this edition of the race with a personal “Giro” through taste: 21 recipes for 21 stages. Each day, he will cook a traditional dish representing the area where the race stops, starting with Albanian meatballs.
Chef Max Mariola is an Italian chef from Rome, known for his passion for traditional Italian cuisine and his energetic style. He first became known on the television show Gambero Rosso and then gained great popularity on social networks such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, where he shares simple and authentic recipes with his followers. His signature phrase “The sound of love” has become a symbol of his cooking.
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He has worked in prestigious restaurants and hotels in Italy and abroad, and has opened his own restaurants in Milan and Naples.