Originally from Argentina, Santiago inherited his love for cooking and creating recipes from his Sicilian grandmother, Ilda. After training at world-class establishments in Argentina and Spain, he moved to New York City where he met his wife, Crystal. They decided to settle in Crystal's hometown of Sylva, NC, and open their restaurant named after Santi's grandmother. Santiago is featured in Charleston's The Local Palate, North Carolina's Our State Magazine, an appearance on Bobby Flay, and even earned Eater's "Mountain Restaurant of the Year" in 2021. You can find him in Sylva managing the Italian-Appalachian restaurant Ilda, his wine bar, Santé, and his newly opened pizzeria, Meatballs.