From the Frenzy of the Global World to the Quiet of the Apennines

For years, Valerio lived among scorching pots and sizzling stoves, working as a chef in restaurants across the world. From Australia to Europe, his job took him everywhere through frantic kitchens, relentless rhythms, and sleepless nights spent crafting the perfect dish. A tough profession, full of sacrifices, pressure, and grueling hours. But the further his career took him, the stronger the need to stop grew inside him.

In the end, the choice came naturally: Valerio left everything behind and returned to the house that once belonged to his grandfather, nestled in the mountains of the Apennines. He decided to start over, embracing an ancient, almost forgotten profession: today, he is a shepherd.

Every day, alongside his 150 goats, he treads the rugged, rocky lands of the Apennines. His alarm clock no longer signals the start of a demanding kitchen shift but the time to lead his flock to the pastures. The clatter of boiling pans has been replaced by the wind sweeping through the valleys, the gentle chime of the goats’ bells, and the silence of a simpler existence.

"This is hard work too, but it’s a different kind of struggle one that actually makes sense," Valerio says. "Here, time doesn’t slip away. Each day is tied to nature, to the seasons, to something that existed long before us."

After years spent in kitchens around the world, Valerio found his path on a mountain trail. And step by step, he rediscovered the peace he had been chasing for so long.