Great food creates community.

My first experiences in the kitchen were making pasta and stretching doughs for pizza by my grandmother as early as I can remember, maybe 5 years old. My first first cooking job was at 15 in a fast paced diner working the grill station. I then went on to work in a local pizzeria (Naples Pizza) and a few other restaurants then helped open a casual dining Italian pizza and pasta joint. I spent some time working in a country club taking a step out of the kitchen and focusing on management and eventually became the Beverage Director and appointed Sommelier. After a few years in the country club setting I became a manager at Max A Mia. I went on to Max’s Oyster Bar to continue in management as well as a stint at Trumbull Kitchen before going back to the kitchen at Max a Mia. I became managing partner and chef of Savoy Pizzeria and had the wonderful experience of being a chef in a wood fired restaurant where my heart was truly captured by that kind of cooking. An urge to do and learn more took me to the kitchen at Millwrights where technique and kitchen discipline were honed. After a hiatus, planning and time with my family I opened Zephyr’s Street Pizza. I found myself taking everything I learned over the last 25 years and bringing it back to where it all started – making pizza.

I’ve had a great relationship with Hands On Hartford for the last 5 years or more. When the opportunity came to guest chef at Gather55 it was a no brainer. I love food, community and giving back. Gather55 embodies all of those things in one place -and the people are cool too! – Chef Dante