LITCHFIELD — Have you ever heard of an Italian restaurant voted the best of the year after it just opened? In spring of 2021, a new Italian restaurant, Materia, was just opening in Bantam. Materia is serving high-end authentic Italian food. The head chef, Dave Distasi, makes everything homemade with food imported from Italy daily.

“I decided to become a chef because I grew up with food,” said Distasi, chef and owner of the restaurant. “It’s part of our culture and I’ve always felt connected with it. I wanted to open my restaurant to be able to portray my vision through my food.” 

After Distasi graduated from The Culinary Institute Of America in New York, he worked at some of the best restaurants in New York and Italy in his early 20s. The restaurant he worked at in Italy was one of the top in the world.

“I worked at a few restaurants in Tuscany [Italy],” Distasi said. “The main one would be La trattoria Enrico Bartolini, at L’anana. I was the sous chef. Also, in New York City, I worked at Le Bernardin. I worked every station from garde manger to hot apps to saute, saucier, and the sous chef.”

All those skills he learned from culinary school and working at the restaurants he adapted to create his own food items at his restaurant.

Many people who live in the area are interested in trying Materia.

“I was going to try it when it first opened, but I looked at the menu online, and it was more expensive than I was looking for,” said Nicole Cowles, a math teacher at Nonnewaug. “I was looking for takeout for my family of five.” 

During this time, Cowles has continued to hear good reviews and many people talking about the restaurant.

“Since then, I have heard good reviews from several people, including someone I tutored, a doctor my daughter went to, but I still haven’t tried it,” Cowles added. “I will probably go for a special occasion, like my anniversary or a family birthday.”

Litchfield County is home to a variety of remarkable culinary experience and Materia is working to claim its space as a destination.