6/14- The Il Fornaio Story with Maurizio Mazzon

 

 Maurizio Mazzon

 Vice President and Executive Chef

Maurizio Mazzon, Il Fornaio’s multi-talented Venetian-born executive chef brings his 25 years of culinary experience to every kitchen, every recipe and every menu served at Il Fornaio, breakfast, lunch and dinner. He also leads the company’s wine program and, coming from a family of bakers, is always coming up with new bread ideas inspired by the traditions of Italy’s twenty regions.

Born in Marcon, Veneto, Mazzon knew he would be a chef from the age of eight when he would cook shellfish caught with his brother off Punta Sabbaioni near Venice.  Mazzon, pursued his dream of becoming a chef by enrolling at Italy’s prestigious Northern Italy Hotel Institute outside of Venice and, upon graduation, his first job was cooking in the Italian Marines. Though he began as a cook for the enlisted men, the officers began sneaking into their tent for Mazzon’s food and it wasn’t long before he was promoted to the officer’s kitchen.

Returning to Venice after his stint in the Marines, Mazzon worked under Executive Chef Claudio de Zotto at all’Angelo, the largest restaurant in the city, seating 750.  He also perfected his catering skills moonlighting at the legendary Harry Cipriani, preparing banquets for notables such as Henry Kissinger, Italian President Sandro Pertini, and Pope John Paul II. 

In November 1985, Mazzon moved to the United States to serve as chef at Donatello in Tampa, Florida.  Four years later, Mazzon joined Il Fornaio to open a new restaurant and bakery in Palo Alto, California, just three days after the Loma Prieta earthquake.  Under Mazzon’s leadership, Il Fornaio in Palo Alto won several awards including “Best Restaurant in Santa Clara County” by San Francisco Focus Magazine. 

After three years at Il Fornaio Palo Alto, he led the opening of Il Fornaio in San Jose, the company’s most ambitious project at that time. He was promoted to “Gypsy Chef” two years later where his responsibilities included traveling to each of Il Fornaio’s 22 kitchens to work with each chef. 

Today, as Vice President and Executive Chef of Il Fornaio, Mazzon leads regular Giro di Cuochi or “Chef Tours” of Italy; directs Festa Regionale, Il Fornaio’s ongoing menu exploration of the distinct cuisines of Italy’s 20 different regions; and oversees new menu development, new concept development. His presence can be felt in each of the company’s 22 kitchens. He is also responsible for purchasing for the entire company, which is no small task. Few restaurant groups in the US import as much for Italy as Il Fornaio.

Mazzon was also the culinary leader in the opening in 1999 of Canaletto Ristorante Veneto at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and in Fashion Island in Newport Beach. These authentic Venetian restaurants were the realization of a lifelong dream of Mazzon’s: create a world-class dining destination here in the U.S. that would honor the places where he honed his craft. Mazzon’s menu presents traditional foods of the “Tre Venezie” area of northeastern Italy, complemented by the wines of this less heralded part of the world. Canaletto in Las Vegas is situated at the Venetian’s recreation of Saint Mark’s square, and has become one of Il Fornaio’s most successful restaurants and among the highest volume restaurants in the country. Opened in 2008, Canaletto in Newport Beach occupies a prime location at Fashion Island, one of the premier shopping destinations in the United States.

In 2002, Mazzon poured a lifetime of studying various regional differences in Italy onto the pages of his best-selling cookbook, The Il Fornaio Pasta Book: Authentic Recipes Celebrating Italy’s Regional Pasta Dishes from Chronicle Books in San Francisco.

Here you can find the essential food of Italy, pasta, explained in a manner that can be re-created in most any kitchen. It also contains s few of Maurizio’s favorite proverbs that both capture the spirit and mind of this Italian chef.

6/7 - AN EVENING WITH TIM & DONNA EGAN

Tim & Donna Egan at  
Vintage Inn's opening in 1985

In this two-part special Slow Living Radio, we visit with Tim and Donna Egan (truly two of the most inspirational people we know!) at their home in Napa Valley. Their story is one of deep cultural heritage, of unbreakable family bonds, of marriage and partnership, of personal integrity, and one of a passionate commitment to excellence in hospitality and service in Yountville spanning more than 35 years and three award-winning properties - Villagio Inn & Spa, Vintage Inn and V Marketplace. As the developers of the acclaimed Vintage Estate in Yountville-Napa Valley, they succeeded in creating one of the valley's first luxury lifestyle destinations in a once little known wine country hamlet. But beyond the public awards and accolades they have received as premier hoteliers, stewards of the community and stalwart vanguards for charitable causes, their almost 50 years of marriage have been filled with both great challenges and successes. We spoke candidly about their dreams and passions, their commitment to family, staff and community, their personal battles and triumphs over cancer, and their philosophies on the rich gift that life offers us in each day. In the words of Tim Egan, "Create something that you can finish. Be yourself, true to who your are... and be the very best you can be."  A perfect introduction to one of the many great stories we share in this two-hour program.

Kerry Egan, Tim & Donna Egan with Slow Living's Sally James

A YOUNTVILLE STORY - 
It was their great love of wine country and a vision of the future for the little hamlet of Yountville that brought brothers Timothy and Michael Egan to the Napa Valley in 1976.  In that year, they joined with long-time friends and associates Michael Sandbach, Dino and Mario Ghilotti, and other now former partners to become the Vintage 1870 Associates partnership and purchase the landmark Vintage 1870 (now V Marketplace) specialty shop complex in the heart of Yountville. 

Under their guidance, this historic property was carefully and methodically improved, maintaining the 19th century charm of its buildings while blending a mix of upscale retail shops, galleries and restaurants that would hold a universal appeal for local residents and out-of-town visitors alike.

The Vintage Estate's Historic V Marketplace Retail Complex

In historical terms, it is the V Marketplace project that has been credited with the first renaissance phase of this local community. The highest compliment was paid during

V Marketplace’s 25th Anniversary celebration as town officials lauded the Vintage 1870 Associates for developing what they termed, “the project that defined the Town of Yountville."  

Over the nine-year period that followed the 1976 purchase, V Marketplace became the success that the partnership had envisioned, establishing the complex and this locus of Washington Street as Yountville's commercial center. Like their projects to follow, the successful revitalization of the V Marketplace was linked to the unique nature of the partners' relationship with local government. The forging of a cooperative bond between commercial development and a small community allied to reach a goal of mutual and lasting benefit.  What the travel media has called "Napa Valley's specialty shopping mecca" had contributed not only to a new strength in the town's tax revenue base, but also stimulated consumer travel to Yountville, and ultimately, further commercial investment and revitalization of the town.

Driven by the romantic lure of the wine industry, visitor travel to the Napa Valley in the early 1980's grew rapidly. It became clear that the addition of an upscale country inn was the linchpin to connect the overnight visitor with the Yountville experience. The Egan and Sandbach families were joined by friends Mario and Dino Ghilotti and other investor-partners for this new venture. Along with town officials, the group shared this vision of  Yountville as a visitor "destination."

(Left to Right)
Tim Egan, Mark Power & young Kerry Egan review
construction plans for Vintage Inn in Yountville, circa 1984 

By 1983, the design and development plans for the multimillion-dollar hotel were underway. In June of 1985, the 80-room Vintage Inn opened to rave reviews. On the basis of quality standards and daily room revenues, the property was ranked by the Lodging & Hospitality Association in the top 100 most profitable hotels in the United States and Travel+Leisure Magazine’s Top 500 Hotels in the World. Even its landscape architecture reflects a totally unique aesthetic style. The inn's landscape designer, Thomas McCormick, was honored by the National Association of Landscape Contractors of America for his design work at the Vintage Inn.

Says partner Timothy Egan, "The development of Vintage Inn furthered the partnership's commitment to the local community through the advancement of the ‘overnight destination' concept. Our goal was to create a project that would produce the lowest impact on local services yet deliver the highest return in transient occupancy tax revenues to the Town of Yountville." It was a promise fulfilled. The Vintage Inn and  V Marketplace venues, collectively known as The Vintage Estate, would comprise not only the largest joint visitor destination in Yountville, but also the most profitable. The combined local taxes generated by the sister properties contributed more than a third of the Town of Yountville's general operating fund.



Vintage Inn

"Yountville is a small town, and in a place like this, 'success' is a measurement of the long-term commitment that you make and you uphold," notes Egan. "We own businesses here and we own homes here. Our commitment is one that we've made to our families, our partnership and the community," he adds.

The opportunity to demonstrate this commitment has presented itself more than once. In 1986, when the hundred-unit Vintage Subdivision project started by another developer in 1981 fell into bankruptcy, the partnership took action. Sensing the immediate community need, the partnership, which included the Egan and Sandbach families, negotiated with the bank to purchase and complete the final twenty-nine units of the project. The original plan for the final phase of development called for construction of duet-style attached dwellings; a design that the partnership felt would create an imbalance in the residential profile of the community. So the decision was made. The partnership would redesign the plan and seek town approval to build detached single-family homes.

Tim Egan recalls, "As developers, we took the more costly route by opting not to build the final twenty-nine units as duet-style townhomes in favor of the single-family detached houses. However, the original design plan didn't offer Yountville what it needed in residential improvements. Experience just told us that the design change would give the community greater residential diversity, and in the end, a better balance." 

           

On October 16, 1998, the partnership opened the doors of the third Vintage Estate sister property, the 112-room Villagio Inn & Spa. Addressing guests at Villagio’s opening event, then California Senator Mike Thompson called the project "an exciting new asset to the Yountville community and the Napa Valley." Thompson lauded the Vintage Partners, and Timothy Egan personally, for demonstrating a continuing commitment to the improvement and enrichment of the community with the quality of their projects.

Villagio Inn & Spa

Even before earning its AAA Four Diamond Award rating in February 2000, Villagio Inn & Spa was acclaimed by such publications as Town & Country, San Francisco Examiner Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine and Travel+Leisure Magazine, with awards that have since included Travel+Leisure’s Top 500 Hotels in the World and Top 50 Resorts in the United States & Canada.

Spa Villagio's Outdoor Fireside Lounge

The Vintage Associates take great pride in the fruits of their 35-year partnership with the community. It was a collective vision that became a reality. A vision to establish Yountville, the gateway to the Napa Valley wine country, as a premier overnight destination to attract the mid-to-upper-end traveler with exceptional accommodations and amenities. One that would foster the "walking town" concept by offering visitors the finest restaurants, specialty shops and galleries along the main thoroughfare of Washington Street.   

“Together, we’ve crafted a shared vision… a community where visitors delight in staying, and one that residents are proud to call home,” says Egan.  



Slow Living's Steve Andrews & Tim Egan at
Yountville's 2011 Kentucky Derby Event

Tim & Donna Egan at the 2011 Sense Yountville



PostScript: Tim & Donna Egan are deeply committed to medical research in the battle and treatment of Cancer. We encourage you to visit these organizations and find out what you can do to become involved:

International Myeloma Foundation

http://www.myeloma.org/

Jimmy V Foundation

http://www.winecelebration.org/

Selected Photos by Andy Berry - www.andyberryphotography.com

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5/31 - A CELEBRATION OF NEW ZEALAND WINE REGIONS

Proudy brought to you by Complexity: representing 21 of New Zealand’s great wineries, 8 wine regions and 59 fine wines.  The wines showcase the diverse nature of each region, which you can discover by going to http://www.complexity.co.nz/ and clicking on a region.

MARLBOROUGH WINE REGION

(Northern region of South Island)
Nautilus Estate

http://www.nautilusestate.com/

Clive Jones

Winemaker and winery manager

"Marlborough is really the heart of the New Zealand wine industry and what a great place to bring up a family".  Clive Jones originally trained as a chemist before being drawn to the wine industry. He completed a Wine Science degree from Charles Sturt University, and worked with Selaks Wines prior to joining Nautilus in August 1998.

Clive is leading Nautilus' two key projects.  The first is the clonal and vineyard block designated Pinot Noir Program followed by the intense viti-focus of the Serious Sauvignon Program.  Together, these projects are putting Nautilus at the forefront of New Zealand's wine industry.

On Pinot Noir, Clive's program has involved clonal research, trialing and international benchmarking, traveling to Oregan for a Pinot Noir study trip and to Burgundy to work a vintage at Domaine Dujac.

On Sauvignon Blanc, Clive's passion for the distinctive Marlborough characteristics leads the way for developmental dialog on style differences and bottle development.  He refers to to signature styles: Nouveau Sauvignon Blanc vs "Serious" Sauvignon Blance. 

AUCKLAND REGION

(Northern region of North Island)

Kumeu River Winery

http://www.kumeuriver.co.nz/

Michael Brajkovich, MW. ; B.App.Sc.Oenology

Michael studied Oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia, now part of the University of Adelaide. He graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Oenology (Wine Science) as dux of his year, and returned to the family vineyard and winery in Kumeu to take responsibility for wine production. Since then he has travelled extensively through the world’s wine areas and had the opportunity to spend the 1983 vintage in France.

Based on this experience a new range of wines was developed under the Kumeu River label. In particular, the Chardonnay has enjoyed critical acclaim and success in international markets. Two new single vineyard Chardonnays were released in 2007, and exciting developments have been taking place with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from Kumeu.

In 1989 Michael passed the Examination and became New Zealand’s first member of the Institute of Masters of Wine, London. He has many years experience in judging at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, and at several Australian Capital City Wine Shows.

Michael has been involved with the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative, of which he was Chairman in 2001-2003. He currently sits on the Wine Science Board of Studies for the University of Auckland, and has been collaborating with the University in recent years on a study investigating indigenous yeast fermentations.

CENTRAL OTTAGO REGION

 (Southern South Island)

Felton Road Wines

Bannockburn

http://www.feltonroad.co.nz/

Nigel Greening

A grammar school education was followed by a term at college, before Nigel left to follow the more attractive route of blues guitarist. A singular lack of success led to an early career in printing, before starting a design company in the early 70’s. A spell doing special effects and presentations predated the establishment of an agency: Park Avenue, in 1979.

Park Avenue became established as one of the world’s leading presentations and production companies, over the following 20 years, a period where Nigel divided his time between working on international brand marketing for clients such as BMW, Porsche and British Airways, directing film projects with the occasional effects and engineering projects, such as dark rides (Disney, General Motors, The Millennium Dome), Expo Pavillions and global car launches.

Nigel first visited Central Otago in 1996, living there for a year in 1998-9 while working for BMW. During that time he acquired a taste for the newly released first vintage of Felton Road (1997), and purchased his own vineyard land at Cornish Point in Bannockburn. He purchased Felton Road in 2000 following the retirement of Stuart Elms, the founder.

Married (Kharis) with 3 children (Nicola, 41; Hamish, 11; Lara, 9) he lives in Wanaka NZ. Past-times are cooking (he is executive chef at the nefarious “Panini Noir” Restaurant at Felton Road), fly fishing, Jazz Guitar and Burgundy.

MARTINBOROUGH WINE REGION

(Southern tip of North Island)

Palliser Estate Wines

http://www.palliser.co.nz/

Pip Goodwin,

Associate Winemaker,           

Pip describes her winemaking job as being her dream job.  She used to be an accountant/management consultant.  That was not her dream job!  After working vintages in New Zealand and the United States and completing her Postgraduate Diploma at Lincoln, Pip joined Palliser in 2004.

Pip works alongside Allan Johnson, Chief Winemaker, in the winemaking process but also has the responsibility of being the Environmental Manager.  She was the driver behind Palliser being the first winery in the world to be CEMARS certified (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme).

In her spare time, Pip enjoys hanging out with her two small children and, time permitting, playing sport or walking the naughtiest dog in town – time isn’t often permitting!

NELSON REGION

(Southern Tip of North Island)

  

Neudorf Vineyards

http://www.neudorf.co.nz/

Judy Finn

Co-owner



Judy and Tim Finn, circa '78

1978  and the New Zealand fine wine industry was almost non existent. We (Tim and I) were fresh from the “back to the land” movement of the late sixties. We wanted to make beautiful wine. We figured Tim’s masters in Animal Behaviour along with my unimpressive journalism career would be beneficial. Wrong.  However we did have youth (temporary), self belief (unwarranted) and friends.  At one stage we had four mortgages and three jobs each. The old house at Neudorf had electricity in two rooms, an outside long drop, an inefficient wood stove and no hot water. I look back with no regrets.

Because there was so little known about basic viticulture in New Zealand we planted many varieties to see which ones were best suited to our soils. Merlot came and went as did Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and the dreaded Muller Thurgau. We were a  bit hasty in rejecting Gewürztraminer and may look at that again.

But we did it. We, and a whole heap of people – neighbours, family, friends and some fantastic staff. Each left a mark and many have gone onto work in  bigger wineries or plant their own vineyard. Today 31 years  later and we never  feel we have it all sorted. But we love it and we are still learning, not just about viticulture and wine-making but  exporting, currency exchange, the internet, human resource issues, distribution, yeasts and barrels, clones and crop levels.

Very few misgivings. Making wine is constantly scary and stimulating. We survive on hard work, high hopes and a dollop of common-sense and cunning.

Complexity
Campaign Manager, Janet Pouchet

Janet Pouchot, with over a decade in the wine business, having held positions such as sommelier for Restaurant Daniel, US Brand Development Manager for Peter Lehman Wines and Sales Manager for Negociants USA.  She is ambassador, campaign manager and sales opportunity creator for the wines of Complexity

5/24 - SWEDEN MEETS ITALY: Staffan Terje and Umberto Gibin of San Francisco's Perbacco Restaurant

Staffan Terje & Umberto Gibin

This week on Slow Living Radio -  the culinary excellence that's created when a Swedish chef meets an Italian restauranteur!

STAFFAN TERJE Chef/Owner 
When asked why a Swedish-born chef would choose to open an authentic Italian restaurant, Staffan Terje, chef and owner of Perbacco in San Francisco, replies, “Italian food is the food that talks to me. You don’t choose who you fall in love with. It just happens.” Staffan grew up on his grandfather’s farm outside of Stockholm, Sweden, where he discovered his passion for food and eating at an early age. Surrounded by farm fresh produce and a family that loved to cook and eat, entering into the restaurant industry was an easy decision later in life.

During high school, Staffan chose to do his mandatory apprenticeship at the local slaughter house. “At that stage I was a punk rocker and naturally wanted to shock my class mates, who mostly apprenticed as teachers’ assistants.  It worked, they thought I was crazy.” However, he soon discovered that he had a knack for butchering and he learned quickly how to handle a knife properly from the butchers. 

Following high school, Staffan enrolled at the Hotel and Restaurant School in Stockholm, completing his apprenticeship at the Michelin starred restaurant, Gourmet.  In 1982, after working in Stockholm for a few years, Staffan was offered a job in Sarasota, Florida. “My friend and I planned to work there for a year and come home with bragging rights that we had worked in “The US”,” Staffan says.  “We’re both still here.” 

After a couple of years, Staffan headed west and worked in several restaurants in Orange County, CA, before ending up in Napa Valley in 1986. There he worked at Sherry Oven, a restaurant housed in a historic winery in downtown Napa. As the San Francisco Bay Area and Wine Country were the hotbeds for California Cuisine, Staffan was able to take his classic French training and apply it to the bounty of the west coast.

“At the restaurant we used produce from small farms and sometimes even peoples’ back yards,” he remembers.  Inspired by the vast array of local products, (“The first Meyer lemons I ever used came from a neighbor’s tree!” he says), he began to form the practice of sourcing ingredients from small farms and continues to do so today.  In 1988, the lure of Italian cuisine called and Staffan joined Piatti Ristorante in Yountville, Napa Valley. “We were doing some of the most authentic Italian food in the area,” says Staffan. Promoted quickly, he was soon responsible for new restaurant openings, menu development and training. Other career highlights include a seven-year stint at San Francisco’s famed Scala’s Bistro and cooking at The James Beard house in New York City. 
“These days, chefs are taking back the skills required to master the craft of cooking,” Staffan explains. “For example, Perbacco has a curing room that we use to make our own salumi.”  The inspiration and passion for the food at Perbacco is driven by the rich history of northwestern Italy.  Formerly known as the Kingdom of Savoy, the region today encompasses Piemonte and Val d’Aosta.  Traditional dishes and recipes from the region are updated with seasonal ingredients found in northern California, supporting the integrity of the dish and preserving the authenticity of “la cucina Piemontese”.  Staffan continues his philosophy of buying produce from small, local farmers and artisan producers, picking up produce from the farmers market at the Ferry Plaza, only couple of blocks from the restaurant, in order to support the local growers. “It’s not only the best produce. It’s the right thing to do,” Staffan maintains.

Searching constantly for inspiration, Staffan travels to Italy on a yearly basis for full immersion eating and research. ”Every time I visit, I come home exhausted, recharged and inspired.  Eating in Italy is hard work and Italians are probably the most discriminating eaters on the planet. Italian food is about the quality of the ingredients and with what care they are prepared. You cannot hide as it is pure and direct to the point. Food cannot be more honest than that - which is why I love to cook Italian food.”

In January 2010 Staffan, along with his business partner, Umberto Gibin, opened barbacco eno trattoria, next door to Perbacco. At barbacco, he maintains the same quality-driven tenants to form the seasonally changing menu. 

Umberto Gibin / Owner

Born in Venice, Italy, and raised in Torino, in the Piemonte region, Umberto Gibin was naturally introduced to the pleasures and traditions of the Italian table at a very early age. Gibin began to learn the hospitality trade at several prestigious European restaurants and hotels, such as Villa d’Este in Como, The Palace in St. Moritz, and The Caprice in London. He arrived in the United States in 1979 where he began his U.S. career at the venerable Ernie’s and Ciao in San Francisco. Gibin says of his experience at the restaurants, “At Ernie’s, I learned how to meld my European style of service, and, at Ciao, I explored the more casual California dining.” 

After a stint as General Manager at Spectrum Foods’ Chianti Restaurant on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, he returned to San Francisco as one of the founding team members of Il Fornaio. With Il Fornaio Gibin was instrumental in the successful opening of six restaurants. In 1999 he joined Kimpton Hotels, at The Grand Café, and later as a Director of Restaurant Operations, where he oversaw several restaurants including The Fifth Floor, Masa’s and Splendido. In 2004 he re-joined his old friend and mentor Larry Mindel to open Poggio in Sausalito as Managing Partner, where he remained through spring of 2006. 

To Perbacco, Gibin brings his Italian hospitality, enhancing the already authentic Italian experience. “I am personally devoted to every guest's enjoyment. Every single person entering our restaurant is greeted as if they are our friends and family. The overall experience is enriched with personal touches, from a little complimentary "aperitivo" to ‘let me go to get your car for you.’ We want our guests to leave with the thought of ‘How soon can we return to Perbacco?’ ” 

At Perbacco, Umberto is able to really embrace his love of wine. Hours of research and countless tastings have resulted in a classical yet diversified wine list with an emphasis on the wines of the Piemonte region in Northern Italy, such as Barolo, Barbaresco, Dolcetto, and several fruity, aromatic whites. The extensive list is rounded out by a selection of bottles from elsewhere in Italy and an appealing collection of New World options. Gibin explains, “The wine list at Perbacco is designed to enhance the overall experience. I have chosen wines that will complement the dishes that Staffan has created, particularly those from small producers and with a good balance of fruit, acid and tannin. At Perbacco, the wine service is simple yet sophisticated. It will give our guests the opportunity to enjoy wine in many different ways.”  In January of 2010, he opened barbacco eno trattoria.  At barbacco, he runs a restaurant with a level of service consistent to that of Perbacco, despite the more casual atmosphere.

Gibin and his wife Leslie live with their daughter Shayna in the hills of Oakland.