Alessandro Bonafe is from Italy and has managed many restaurants in both Vietnam as well as China. He currently is general manager of Buongiorno Italian restaurant in Dongguan, and divides his time between Guangzhou and Dongguan.

Could you make a brief introduction of yourself and Buongiorno?

After more than 10 successful years in Vietnam (the first restaurant was opened in 1993) the owners of Good Morning Italian Restaurant Chain expanded their idea and concept of Italian Hospitality to China and opened, in September 2006 Buongiorno Italian Restaurant in Guangzhou.

I joined the company in the beginning of 2006 working as Manager of different branches around Vietnam: Muine, Nha Trang and lastly Saigon. In January 2007 I moved to Guangzhou to take charge as General Manager of Buongiorno. Our concept of authentic Italian Restaurant, Italian managed and prepared, has become quickly well known in the expat's community and more than only a mere restaurant Buongiorno is nowadays a gathering point for foreign people in Guangzhou.

In October 2008 we opened our 2nd branch in Houjie town, an industrial and manufacturing town, part of Dongguan. Also there the concept of Buongiorno has revealed itself successful.

Good things come in threes and so... in July 2009 we finally gave birth to our 3rd restaurant in Dongguan/Dongcheng's entertainment and dining centre, the Jiu Ba Jie.

Regarding myself, I was born, 31 years ago, in a small province called Alto Adige, in the far north of Italy, in the beautiful scenery called Dolomites, the most beautiful mountains in the world!!! My family has always been in the Hospitality business: my grandparents owned a hotel in a valley quite famous for skiing and climbing called Val Garden. Helping my family there and working during my High School period as barkeeper and waiter I learned to love the Hospitality industry, to stay with people, chat, entertain them... During a holiday in Vietnam (I have always been an Asia-lover) I met my current business partners and I had been proposed to become a manager in one of their restaurant; later, back to my country, I started to consider this proposal seriously and decided to change my life completely for a trial period of 6 month. Since them I have been living and working in Asia, and I don't regret to have taken that decision not even a little. I love to live abroad meeting different cultures, it enhances my point of views and I think, in some way it's making me a better person. I am less materialistic now, and I try to focus on some more important aspects life can offer.