About Us

A home in the woods. A family. A dream that continues.
Among the larches and snow of Sappada, there is a place where time slows down and the scent of wood blends with that of freshly baked bread.
A place that feels like home and embraces like a hug: it’s called Laite, and it tells a true story made of love, shared visions, and eloquent silences.

It all began in 1987, when Fabrizia, a young woman from Cividale, came to Sappada for the season and met Roberto. From that meeting came a love, a life project, a shared dream: to open a restaurant that would be a home, a heart, a territory. In 1990 they opened Keisn, their first venue: small, authentic, with a name rooted in the Sappada dialect and territory. Here, Fabrizia began cooking, guided by the instinct passed down from her mother and grandmother. Here, Roberto built the wine cellar that would become legendary.

In 1997, Keisn earned a Michelin star. But their true star was born that same year: her name is Elena.

FABRIZIA

There is poetry in the way Fabrizia speaks of a dish, as if it were a landscape.
Her cuisine is born of ancient gestures and deep roots, of seasons, forests, and silences.
A cuisine that doesn’t aim to amaze, but to tell a story.

In 2018, the Michelin Guide awarded her the Female Chef of the Year prize by Veuve Clicquot.
In 2022, the L’Espresso Guide named her Chef of the Year, celebrating an authentic journey outside of trends. But her greatest reward remains the guests moved to silence after dining.

ROBERTO

Roberto was elegance that needed no words. A sensitive sommelier, he created a hidden wine cellar beneath the restaurant, in a stone room once used to protect what was too precious to burn.

In 2015, the L’Espresso Guide named him Sommelier of the Year. But for him, the true reward was seeing the sparkle in the guests’ eyes after the perfect pairing. That wine cellar lives on today, cared for by Elena and Ovidio, to whom he left much more than just the keys: an inheritance of passion and quiet beauty.

ELENA

Elena grew up among bottles to discover and dishes to taste. Between folding tablecloths and observing gestures, she learned the art of hospitality through immersion and love.

After significant experience elsewhere, she returned to Laite. Maître and sommelier, she refined her training through AIS (Italian Sommelier Association). Today, she guides each guest on a journey of listening, intuition, and balance.

In 2024, she was named Best Sommelier of the Year by the Gambero Rosso Guide, which recognized a new form of storytelling in her sensitivity.

OVIDIO

Ovidio arrived young, curious, and reserved. For eight years, he walked alongside Roberto, absorbing every gesture, every whisper, every detail.

Today, he is Laite’s sommelier. He oversees the dining room with grace and poise and tends to the wine cellar with the reverence that true things deserve.

YANG

Yang joined us six years ago as an intern. After that experience, he continued his journey elsewhere, across Italy and abroad, but his bond with Laite remained strong. When he returned, he did so with new eyes, fresh ideas, and an enthusiasm that continues to inspire the entire kitchen team. Today, he is a vital part of our cuisine: every season brings his personal touch to the menus, a delicate and profound imprint in harmony with our philosophy. By sharing his perspective and knowledge, he helps those who work with him grow, day by day.

LAITE TODAY

Laite today is this: a home lovingly built over time.
A place where memories are kept and dreams are prepared. Where every dish is a caress, and every glass an invitation to slow down.