[Photo provided to China Daily]

The Milan native started working at Acqua two years ago.

Erba says his family really worried about him being in China when the coronavirus broke out.

"China did an amazing job in such a short time," says Erba. "Everybody was just amazed by how China handled the situation."

The new bar offers the signature Italian cocktail, the Negroni. The original is based on gin, but at the "Negroni University" bar, guests can sample a variety of twists on Italy's oldest and most popular cocktail. They can, for instance, swap gin for tequila or whiskey, or Campari for Aperol or Jaegermeister.

The dining area is located by the window facing the city's famous Huangpu River.

Erba took his passion for cooking from his father and turned it into a career after attending the Alma－the celebrated International School of Italian Cuisine, which is the brainchild of renowned Milanese chef Gualtiero Marchesi.

He then spent years honing his skills in the Michelin-starred restaurant, La Madia, in Sicily and Milan's historical landmark hotel, Principe di Savoia, before working in Australia.

The opportunity to work as a head chef in an Asian city lured him to Shanghai.

His first impressions were exciting, he recalls.

"I love just everything about the city, the people, the food, the opportunities, the cultural melting pot and the strategic position of Shanghai in Asia," he says.