Renato Piccolotto started his career in 1971 at the Villa Cipriani in Asolo, where he was trained by the famous Giuseppe Cipriani, and at Hotel Cipriani in Venice. He masterminded the Cipriani Cooking School, which was founded in 1979 and has welcomed many great personalities, including Julia Child, Marcella Hazan, Anne Willan, Simone Beck, Gregory Usher, Michael James and James Beard.
Piccolotto became Chef de Cuisine of the Cipriani in 1990.

Renato Piccolotto took part in many food festivals organised between 1980 and 2002 by Natale Rusconi in France, England, Switzerland, America, France, Montecarlo, Japan, Brazil, Venezuela, Moscow and Mauritius.