Meet the man: TV presenter Valerio Zeno

Because it’s not all girls who run the world, we took it upon ourselves to find the brightest boys in the business and share their stories on CHAPTER FRIDAY. Let’s see what these ambitious types under thirty choose for when it comes to work, life and everything in between.

MEET THE MAN: VALERIO ZENO - TV PRESENTER AND DJ
So, the story of how I met Valerio is rather funny and I’m not sure if he even remembers. As a nineteen year-old intern at Grazia magazine, one of my first hefty tasks was to organize a give away to a party that Valerio would DJ at. So selecting letters from tons of fan girls was our encounter – and we kept bumping in to eachother in the years that followed.

Who? Valerio Giuseppe Peppino Ciro Zeno (30)
What’s his story? If anything, Valerio is determined. This Dutch charmer had his career goals set up as early as age eight; he wanted to be a charismatic TV presenter in a handsome suit (and we have this little YouTube clip of him as an eleven-year-old to back that up, ha!). Flash forward to a decade later and he’s studying to be a cameraman and lands a job at Endemol to work on shows like Big Brother. Behind the scenes, mind you. From there, he smoothly made his way on to our screens (and let’s be real, into our hearts). He’s now one of our most witty TV hosts (sometimes even in that handsome suit) with Dutch TV-station BNN as his home base.
Where is he based? Amsterdam

Night owl or morning person?
Valerio: ‘A night person for sure. I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember and look like a zombie until around twelve in the afternoon. I often get ‘So, you had a late night?’

Wild child or quiet one?
Valerio: ‘I don’t always have to be loud, I’m perfectly happy being in the background. I could be at a party with friends and barely speak and still have the time of my life. Whenever I’m recording a TV show though, I’m in a leading role. In front of the camera I know exactly what I’m doing; when to make a joke and when it’s best to shut up.’

Team player or working solo?
Valerio: ‘I’m at my best when I’m on my own, and I want things done my way. Which instantly gives away my worst characteristic. In a team meeting, I’ll tell everyone how I want a show to be and I visualize it in my head right away. Very detailed, like a cartoon. And then I get annoyed – like a little kid – when others don’t execute my ideas the exact way I had envisioned them. I know this is something I need to work on, but I’ll probably fail over and over again.’

Neat freak or messy house?
Valerio: ‘ I’m a grown up kid who is still in to cartoons, so I collect everything that I used to love when I was younger. I want to do justice to my collection, so I don’t have much other stuff lying around. My house would remind you of a museum. Sleek, cold and cheerless - exactly how I like it, haha. With lots of white, concrete and wood - and everything is color coordinated and placed in right order of size.’

Career chick or home girl?
Valerio: ‘A girl with an established career probably has all the qualities that I find sexy in a woman. She has goals, a life of her own and is full of plans. If I ask her where she wants to meet up, I’d like to hear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and not a ‘oh, whatever you like!’ And if I need to cancel a date for the third time in a row because I’m working late, I’d like her to be confident enough to know that she is not a second choice.’

Italy or The Netherlands?
Valerio: ‘The Netherlands. My dad is Italian and Italy is a beautiful place; the food is better, the girls are prettier and the fashion is cooler. But everything is organized so well here in The Netherlands - from the quality of healthcare to infrastructure. If I ever have kids, I’d definitely raise them here.’

Great first date or great day of filming?
Valerio: ‘I feel terribly cheesy saying this, but I’d go for a great first date. Because dates are rare and film days happen all the time. If you ask me, a date shouldn’t be tied to too many expectations. I love it if a girl leaves it up to me to surprise her. That’s not a macho thing, I mean that in a sweet way!’

DJ’ing or hosting a TV show?
Valerio: ‘I’m in my element doing both and take nothing of what I do lightheartedly. So spinning records isn’t a joke to me, or a second choice. But being a TV-presenter will always be my number one.’

Shabby or sharp looks?
Valerio: ‘Sharp. But when I’m dressing shabby, I still like to look pulled together. Brands I often wear are Denham [Valerio is wearing one of their jackets today], Filippa K and Filling Pieces for sneakers. And my all time favorite is Ralph Lauren. There’s just one slight problem though… They design clothes for the average, big American man and not for tiny Italian guys. Everything is huge, so if I buy something it needs to be altered from A to Z.’

IN THE PREVIOUS EDITION, WE INTERVIEWED VICE CREATIVE DIRECTOR PERRE VAN DEN BRINK.