Gianfranco Franzese

Gianfranco Franzese, executive chef of Bocelli Restaurant in Staten Island was born in Bari, Italy. His culinary interests began at a young age when he helped his mother with dinner every evening.

At the age of 17, Gianfranco enrolled in the Instituto Professionali Alberghiero in Bari. After 4 years of training, he graduated in 1987 as a certified chef. He honed his culinary skills by working in many kitchens. In 1989, he came to the United States and worked in several different establishments in New York City.

In 1996, Gianfranco began competing in Culinary Tournaments which earned him 15 Gold Medals, 8 "Best in Show", 7 Silver and 3 Bronze. He also won a Gold Medal for the 2000 Culinary Olympics held in Germany. In 1997, Gianfranco became a Certified Executive Chef after passing a test given by the American Culinary Federation.

Gianfranco has cooked for the James Beard Foundation, Imelda Marcos and several actors and entertainers from both the U.S. and Italy. At Bocelli, Gianfranco draws on his years of culinary training to tempt the palates of Staten Islanders.

Chef's Recipes :

Cavatelli with Eggplant and Olives

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