Born in 1974, Max came into the world with an innate culinary and cultural curiosity. Together with his brother Raffaele (Raf) and sister Laura, he is a part of the third generation of the Alajmo family self-employed as chefs and restaurateurs. After attending hotel management school, Max furthered his culinary education in the kitchens of important European chefs like Alfredo Chiocchetti of Ja Navalge in Moena, Marc Veyrat of Auberge de l’Eridan in Veyrier-du-Lac, and Michel Guérard of Les Près d’Eugenie in Eugénie-les-Bains.

Upon his return to Italy, Max started working alongside his mother Rita in the kitchen at Le Calandre, which had recently been awarded one Michelin star. On March 13, 1994, Max was appointed executive chef of Le Calandre and Raf took over as manager; the restaurant was awarded a second star in the Michelin Guide 1997 and on November 27, 2002, it received its third, making Max, at 28, the youngest chef ever to obtain the important recognition.

Twenty years later, Max can still be found in the kitchen at Le Calandre, the heart and culinary laboratory of the Alajmo restaurant group that today counts 14 restaurants located between Padua, Venice, H-Farm (Treviso), Paris and Marrakech.