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People
often ask "who is Graziano and where's he from, anyway?" So
I thought I'd share a little bit about me with you
My real base knowledge of cooking came from the years I spent watching
and helping my mother cook in our kitchen in a little village in Italy.
At age 7, I played in the flour while mamma created her heavenly gnocchi.
When I was 14, I had a very vivid dream of San Francisco; it was clear
to me that I would be there someday. Soon after, I went to hotel school
in Italy where I learned everything from the concierge business to waiting
and bussing tables, bartending and cooking. Following this, at age 16,
I started as a waiter for a big restaurant where I frequently cooked
for the whole crew. It was around this time when I served Gary Cooper
(I thought he was the tallest man in the world!) and got kind compliments.
I then took a job as a dishwasher and food prep guy (peeling potatoes,
etc.) at a London club that catered to the elite -- my main goal being
to learn the English language. I became friends with the chef and created
one of my first original dishes for him. He had me serve my special
prawns with sherry and mushroom cream sauce to Sean Connery -- I didn't
have a clue who he was and soon after Sean started his career as the
famous 007. In the ensuing years I studied in the culinary academies
of Sardinia, Canterbury and Switzerland. I've always had a basic appreciation
for contadina style dishes while adding my own special "tocco"
(touch). I like the presentations on the plates to be beautiful with
garnishes that have a purpose.
At 25, I began the Bermuda and Bahamas phase of my cooking career --
an experience that only after the fact seems bigger than life. I worked
in big night clubs where I was first introduced to cooking in an "open
kitchen" where the patrons could view all the meal preparations.
Over the years I was requested to serve many late night "Graziano
Spaghetti" meals to the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shelly
Winters, Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Shirley Maclaine and also cooked
for Sidney Portier, Ed Sullivan, and Betty Davis. Again, I had no idea
who they were and that's exactly why they hung out in these then undiscovered
places -- no one fussed over them. I was very fortunate to have the
privilege of meeting many great artists from the world. It was during
this time I met and became good friends with Benini (my walls at home
and here are graced with many of his fine paintings, one of which is
reproduced on the menu cover).
In 1969, I came to the U.S. and helped open a restaurant in Oakland
called Mirabeau. Two years later, when the head chef of Guido's in San
Rafael became ill, the owner asked me to fill in for him. The restaurant
had only about 10 tables. After less than a month, word was out about
this new chef who served great Italian food with a flair; in no time
there were as many as 30 people in line out the door every night waiting
for tables. I was finally convinced that I should have a restaurant
of my own.
The first time I saw Sonoma county it reminded me of Italy. I chose
to move to Petaluma because it was quaint and provincial with a personal
"village" atmosphere. Fifteen years later, I'm still here
with my two daughters at my side. My mother is still in my heart and
seems to still guide and influence my creations to this day. I guess
you can tell by now that I love cooking. I love sharing good food and
watching the pleasure it brings my customers. It seems to be the perfect
healing anecdote for stress. It is our goal that when you leave Graziano's
you'll have a smile on your face -- mangia, arrivederci a presto!
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