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!
Graziano Perozzi