Foodies Favorite Finds: Kenny Giambalvo of Pazzo Ristorante
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Monday, August 10, 2015
GolocalPDX Lifestyle Team
Giambalvo has cooked for numerous Portland benefits including those for the Cascade Aids Project, Portland Center Stage, Portland Public Farmers Market, PICA, The Humane Society, for the Morrison Family Services Classic Wine Auction, Caldera School of Art, and for the Taste of the Nation.
Photo Credit: Pazzo Ristorante (Image Cropped)
Three generations cooked in the Giambalvo kitchen with ten at the table every night (plus guests). Among them, there was agreement that the teenage Kenny Giambalvo could cook.
Still, it wasn't until his uncle handed him the article from the Sunday edition of the New York Times on the rigorous program at Culinary Institute of America that the 15-year-old Giambalvo began to aspire to be a chef instead of a rock musician.
From his first job cleaning squid at Lenny's Clam Bar in New York to receiving the honorary title Maître Cuisinier de France, Giambalvo's culinary trajectory has taken him through some of the better kitchens in New York, Los Angeles, Singapore, and now Portland.
A brief exchange between his father and La Mascotte owner André Guillet led to his entrée to this world.
"My son wants to be a chef, would Jean-Claude talk to him?"
"Talk to him, I'll put him to work," Guillet replied.
Giambalvo apprenticed with Jean-Claude Denner, who'd previously been a saucier at La Caravelle, bastion of true French haute cuisine, for two and a half years.
Giambalvo has a vivid memory of his first day on the job walking into the kitchen. "I was smelling mussels, garlic, shallots, white wine. I could smell all different ingredients, and I said, 'Wow! What is that?' And the chef said, 'Those are mussels, now get them cleaned. Get to work.'"
After graduating from the Culinary Institute in 1983, he worked at La Côte Basque, La Réserve, Gotham Bar and Grill, and Remi before spending two years under the tutelage of Terrance Brennan. He moved west to take an opening chef position at Pentola in Santa Monica. Then he was offered the position of Executive Chef at Ristorante Bologna, a chic, modern three star restaurant...in Singapore.
"I had carte blanche, had food flown in from anywhere in the world," said Giambalvo.
When not in the kitchen, he reveled in the indigenous food at this Asian crossroads.
"It was a life-changing experience for me. To enjoy these very specific dishes from so many cultures — Thai, Malaysian, Indian, every kind of Chinese — that have been done for 500 years the same way."
Two years later, he returned to Los Angeles to become a chef at Remi.
Pazzo Ristorante in the Hotel Vintage Plaza brought Giambalvo to Portland as their executive chef. In 2000, he opened Bluehour to instant acclaim with his partner and friend, Bruce Carey.
Giambalvo has cooked on two occasions at the James Beard House in NYC, first in 1999 as chef of Pazzo and the second time in 2003 as chef /owner of Bluehour. He hosted celebrity chef Casey Thompson for a James Beard Chef Tour dinner in 2008 at Bluehour. Shortly after its opening in 2000, Bluehour and Chef Kenny were featured in Gourmet Magazine, Travel and Leisure, NW Palate, and more recently in Portland Monthly.
In 2009, Giambalvo was given an honorary award from the Maitre Cuisinier Society for his contribution to the preservation and promotion of French culture and cuisine.
Giambalvo has cooked for numerous Portland benefits including those for the Cascade Aids Project, Portland Center Stage, Portland Public Farmers Market, PICA, The Humane Society, for the Morrison Family Services Classic Wine Auction, Caldera School of Art, and for the Taste of the Nation.
With such an extensive resume, GoLocalPDX was eager to learn Giambalvo’s favorite little known spot to eat good food. Giambalvo’s favorite foodie find is Skyline Restaurant.
“This place is pure rock and roll. No pretense here. You can play horseshoes outdoors while drinking a good local beer, while looking out over the valley, while grilling your own meats on the ‘first come first serve’ outdoor BBQ’s (yes the owner allows you to bring your own food if you’re outside playing horseshoes), all under a canapé of old growth pines, tucked away in the west hills of Portland. You wouldn’t even know that the city is just 5 minutes down the hill. I used to ride my motorcycle (2003 Moto Guzzi California 1200) up there and enjoy a quick beer before heading on down Old German Town Road (awesome ride on a cycle),” Giambalvo said.
Homepage Photo Credit: Pazzo Ristorante (Image Cropped)
Related Slideshow: Ten Floating Restaurants and Bars To Visit This Summer
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