Sebastián Gallucci was not born in Costa Rica, although for the past six years his life has unfolded on the Osa Peninsula. He was born in Toronto, Canada, has Argentine and Italian heritage, and today lives in Uvita de Osa, a small town in the south of the country. There, between the closeness of the jungle and the ocean, he found the place to start a new chapter and develop a cuisine connected to his surroundings.
He moved to the Osa Peninsula after traveling with his wife to explore the country because she had fallen in love with it; from that moment on, he was captivated by the nature, the ocean, the people, and the culture.
Gastronomy, however, had been present long before his arrival. As a child, he dreamed of becoming a chef. His father, who was also a chef, spent time in the kitchen; his grandmother, whom he calls his Nonna, passed down her love for recipes. “Cooking was always part of my life,” he says. He also dreamed of playing professional soccer.
A Foundation between Family and Work
His training did not follow a traditional route. “My first great school was my family: my dad and my Nonna.” He learned by observing, experiencing the world of cooking up close, and later by working and gathering lessons from different people and experiences.
His professional path began in Toronto with an Argentine food truck and continued with AMA, an Argentine cuisine supper club. These were projects that, as he recalls, taught him a lot and set the stage for what would come next.
During the pandemic, he and his family decided to move to Costa Rica and start a new life project. That is how Seba’s, his restaurant, was born.
Learning to Cook in a New Environment
Moving from the city to a jungle environment meant starting virtually from scratch. The humidity, the climate, product availability, and even logistics forced them to rethink how they worked. Over time, Gallucci understood that perfection does not necessarily mean doing the exact same thing every time, but rather adapting without losing one’s essence. Uvita, he states, has taught him resilience and, above all, how to respect the rhythms of nature.
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That relationship with his surroundings is reflected in his way of cooking. Costa Rica inspires him through its biodiversity and the connection between the land and its people. Living there has taught them to observe the seasons, fruits, herbs, and everything each period offers. He also highlights the warmth of the people. At Seba’s, they strive to bring those influences to the plate: working with local producers, respecting the product, and allowing Costa Rica to play a starring role.
Cooking to Communicate and Evoke Emotion
For Sebastián, cooking is also a form of communication. Flavors, aromas, and colors can transport someone to a specific place or moment. “Cooking isn’t just about feeding people: it’s about communicating, creating, and generating emotions,” he explains. Every ingredient, he says, has a story; by combining them, one can tell something about their own story and their outlook on life.
Passion and curiosity are, according to him, part of what defines him. He describes himself as a restless person, always ready to learn, experiment, and find ways to do things better. He also considers himself committed and recognizes that this dedication can make him demanding of himself. Among his virtues, he highlights his work ethic and creativity; among his personal challenges, learning to enjoy the journey and let go a little.
Fire as the Hallmark of His Kitchen
In his kitchen, fire takes center stage. Accompanying it are fresh herbs, green oil, and edible flowers—elements that frequently bring color and life to his dishes. “I always try to put a little extra love into every plate,” he emphasizes.
This identity can be seen in three preparations he recommends. The whole fish, made with the catch of the day and cooked over an open flame, represents his connection to the South Pacific and local produce. It is served with a salad and homemade purple corn tortillas; it is, in his words, fresh, colorful, and very Costa Rican.
The Bolognesi ravioli express his passion for traditional pasta and his way of bringing a unique touch to Italian cuisine. They are filled with seasonal meat—usually beef shoulder or short rib—and simmered slowly in a Bolognese sauce. Pizza, meanwhile, is an essential pillar of Seba’s: long-fermentation dough, local ingredients, and careful technique.
Gallucci describes his pizzas by their crusts—soft and crispy at the same time—by the garlic-infused olive oil he considers indispensable, and by the fresh herbs they are finished with. In many recipes, he adds grated Parmigiano. The Italian influence, he notes, occupies an important place in his cooking, but it does not define it entirely.
More Than a Pizzeria
The recognition of Seba’s as the best pizzeria in Costa Rica by 50 Top Pizza and its rise to the 15th spot in Latin America are sources of great pride for the chef. He also mentions the Green Oven award, which the restaurant has received for three consecutive years for its commitment to sustainability. In the interview, he further points out that Seba’s ranks 89th in a worldwide selection of pizzerias and has been included twice in The Best Chef Awards list.
Yet Gallucci insists that Seba’s is a restaurant, not just a pizzeria. The concept features open-fire cooking, artisanal pasta, responsible seafood sourcing, seasonal meats, and local produce. “We love that pizza has opened so many doors for us. We want people to come to Seba’s for the pizza and stay for everything else: for our cooking, for the product, for the place, and for the experience,” he comments.
Seba’s and Alma Cocina: Two Projects with the Same Essence
Seba’s and Alma Cocina are distinct projects that share part of the team and the exact same essence. Alma is, as Gallucci calls it, the “younger sibling” of Seba’s: a more relaxed and social format space designed for sharing tapas, eating well, and having a great time. Daily roast chickens are the star of its menu, accompanied by dishes inspired by national and international cuisines.
At Alma Cocina, he is joined by the Seba’s team and, most fundamentally, his wife, Michelle, who co-leads the project. The name, he explains, stems from a simple idea: the soul (alma) as the essence of what they do. They wanted to create a place with personality, but above all, with soul.
Seba’s, located in Uvita de Osa on Bejuco Street and diagonal to the Uvita Waterfall, focuses on open-fire cooking, artisanal pasta, and pizza. Operating hours vary by season: Gallucci indicated that during October they would be open Thursday through Sunday, and starting in November, they would shift to a new schedule.
At the restaurant, they strive to convey respect for the product, wood-fired cooking, local ingredients, technique, and a lot of love. The intention is for every dish to have identity and allow the diner to feel a bit of Costa Rica, the farm, and everything behind the project.
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Honest Cooking, Without Chasing Trends
His perspective on contemporary gastronomy is that of a dynamic, creative, and constantly moving scene. Even so, he says he does not cook to follow trends. He prefers a rustic, honest style of cooking where product, flavor, and emotion take precedence over showmanship. “We don’t cook to follow rules or fit into a trend. We cook to express who we are,” he affirms.
The Future: Continuing to Grow and Planting Trees
For the remainder of 2026, his goals are to keep improving, giving his best, and striving to the utmost. Looking ahead, he hopes Seba’s and Alma will continue to grow as projects and maintain an active life. He also wants to keep planting fruit trees on the farm and research the best farms in the country to source their products.
There are goals he shares with a smile: taking Seba’s into the top five pizzerias in Latin America, perhaps by 2027 or 2028, and one day appearing on San Pellegrino’s Latin America’s 50 Best list.
“More Heart, More Fun, More Fire”
His final message encapsulates the philosophy he tries to bring to the table: “Both kitchens and people need more heart, more fun, more fire, and more authenticity. To feel alive. Fewer preconceived ideas about what we are supposed to be.” For gastronomy and society to move forward in a healthy way, he concludes, we need more honest spaces and a bit less rigidity.
You can follow Sebastián Gallucci’s social media channels: Instagram @sebasrestaurant, @sebgallucci, and @almauvita, to learn more about him, his restaurant, and his achievements.
