Trattoria Grappolo: Simple Recipes for Traditional Italian Cuisine - Leonardo Curti

A show of hands at any Epicurean Classic gathering would no doubt confirm that authentic Italian is our favorite type of cooking and food. Well, not since Mario Batali's appearance here in 2006 have we've had an Italian chef on par with Leonardo Curti, chef of Trattoria Grappolo, the acclaimed Santa Ynez, CA restaurant frequented by A-list Hollywood celebs. Born in Calabria, Italy, he earned his stripes in Tuscany before stints at top-rated restaurants in Aspen, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles, before opening Grappolo in 1997.