About the Chef

Giacomo Pettinari is the new Executive Chef of Trastevere Restaurant of Santa Monica, Trastevere Restaurant of Hollywood, and La Piazza Restaurant, at The Grove. He is young, creative and brilliant when it comes to the culinary arts.

Giacomo grew up in Loreto, Italy which is located on the Adriatic Coast. He began his career unbeknownst to anyone at a very young age while watching his Mom. At age 14 he enrolled in Panzini Culinary School—one of the top culinary schools in Italy—graduating at 19.

When he was 20, Giacomo moved to London where he worked for two years with the famous Chef, Fabio Trabocchi, in the two star Michelin-rated restaurant, called Floriana. It was there where he learned the Art of Fine Dining and the Importance of Presentation.

After London, Giacomo moved to Barcelona and worked with Ferran Adria, who invented molecular cuisine and is considered to be one of the best Chefs in the world. From there Giacomo went to Bangkok, Thailand to learn the Art of Sushi.

At the age of 26, Giacomo was told that Piero Selvaggio, the owner and Chef of Valentino’s in Los Angeles, California was looking for a Chef. Instead of sending a resume, he flew to Los Angeles, cooked for Selvaggio, and was hired. He worked as a Chef at Valentino’s for 4 years.

In July of 2009, Giacomo was hired as the Chef of Trastevere Restaurant in Santa Monica. Within a month-and-a-half of working at Trastevere, the company made Giacomo the Executive Chef of all three restaurants.

Giacomo created a new menu, which he brought to Los Angeles—featuring delicious, authentic Italian cuisine which is usually only found in Italy on vacation. Giacomo makes his food exactly as his Mom always stated: “Keep the flavor real and authentic.” The menu includes salads, appetizers, handmade pasta, fish and meat, and the food is light, healthy and prepared with organic ingredients as much as possible.

Trastevere, Santa Monica is the place to be for those who like to sit outside and people watch while eating the best Italian food in Santa Monica. In Hollywood, Trastevere at the Kodak Center is in the heart of a great shopping and event district. Or, if visiting The Grove, La Piazza is a great place to relax and enjoy some delicious cuisine.

Whether you visit Trastevere in Santa Monica or Hollywood or La Piazza at The Grove to taste a bit of Italy, ask for Giacomo. He enjoys meeting patrons of the restaurant and loves sharing his passion for food.

(By Erika Maya)