Originally from Lombardy, Balestra began his journey in the restaurant world at an early age, always working with a strong focus on taste, nature, and landscape — elements that have shaped his creative vision. His passion led him from Italy to France, where he worked for Villaggi Club Med in Opio and Val d’Isère. He later moved to Belgium, where he deepened his knowledge of oenology, and then to Scotland, where he developed an interest in whisky. In 2008, he became bar director at the Trump Tower in Chicago. In Marrakech, at the renowned Hotel La Mamounia, he developed his interest in plants and perfumes. In 2014, he arrived in Cannes to lead the bar at the Barrière Majestic. There he became a reference point for olfactory cocktails and botanical experimentation. In recent years, he created an aromatic rooftop garden at the Majestic, installed beehives on the roof, and conceived the concept of “edible perfumes.”