“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.”
– Thomas Keller
How I got my professional start in the culinary industry
I’ve always loved cooking for friends and family, and for as long as I can remember, I dreamed of attending culinary school. But my parents didn’t share my enthusiasm. To them, a career in the kitchen meant cutting vegetables for minimum wage, and they strongly encouraged me to pursue a business degree first—culinary school, if anything, could come later.
Determined to get ahead, I started college while still a junior in high school and graduated early. But once I was in it full-time, I quickly realized that none of the majors or classes sparked any real passion. I felt uninspired and directionless. Eventually, I moved to Los Angeles, where I found myself working in designer retail—just going through the motions, without any real connection to what I was doing.
Then the Great Recession hit. I lost my job and, after struggling to find another, I admitted defeat. My plan was to move back home, finish my business degree, and take the safe route my parents had always wanted for me. But before I could leave, my closest friends staged an intervention. They knew my love for cooking and pushed me to enroll at Le Cordon Bleu, arguing that with the economy in shambles, there was no better time to follow my passion—by the time I graduated, things would be turning around.
So, against my parents’ wishes, I took the leap. Even after obtaining a student loan tuition was $750 a month, and I had to make some serious sacrifices. I gave my car back to my parents, took the bus (in Los Angeles!), bartended at night, and started a small meal prep business to cover costs. Within a few months, I had built the business enough to quit bartending and focus solely on cooking.
When my parents came to visit, they saw firsthand the refrigerator in my tiny apartment, packed with groceries for my growing list of clients. But what really caught their attention wasn’t just the business I was building—it was the way I talked about my craft, the passion and excitement I had for cooking. A few days after they left, a second refrigerator was delivered to my apartment, and my tuition was paid in full.
Ever since that moment, my family has given me their unconditional support. That turning point—when they saw how much this meant to me—set the foundation for everything I’ve built since.
“In Italy, food is an expression of love, culture, and history. Cooking is not just about nourishment—it’s about connection.”
- Massimo Bottura
My relationship with food and my culinary point of view
My relationship with food started at home, around the dinner table. In my family, cereal wasn’t considered breakfast—we weren’t even allowed to have it in the house. Instead, my mother made us real breakfasts: French toast, waffles, pancakes, and egg dishes. She taught my brothers and me how to cook them too, ensuring that we could always take care of ourselves in the kitchen.
Dinner was no different. We ate together as a family every night, and my parents prioritized healthy, balanced meals. Nothing came from a box or a can; everything was made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Cooking was a fundamental part of our daily lives, and gathering for a meal was never just about eating—it was about connection.
That sense of togetherness extended beyond our immediate family. My parents, both the third of six siblings, hosted big birthday parties for us, inviting all our aunts, uncles, and cousins. Catering was never a consideration; my parents did all the cooking themselves. It was a tremendous amount of work, but the food was always abundant, always homemade, and always good. Beyond birthdays, our extended family gathered for every major holiday—and even some of the minor ones—with food at the center of it all. The most iconic dish of my childhood was the lasagna on Christmas Eve, a tradition that defined the holiday as much as the celebration itself.
Growing up in this environment shaped me into the chef I am today. My curiosity pushed me to build upon the traditional foods I was raised on, not just to replicate them but to evolve them. In my family, recipes weren’t meant to be followed to the letter—they were meant to bring people together. There was always room for creativity, for introducing new dishes and refining old ones.
Today, I bring that same philosophy into my cooking. My formal French training allows me to approach Italian cuisine with a fresh perspective, elevating humble ingredients and classic dishes in a way that feels refined but never pretentious. At its core, my culinary point of view is about honoring tradition while embracing evolution—because food, like family, is meant to grow, change, and bring people together.
Let’s Create Something Delicious
Whether you're planning an intimate dinner, a special celebration, or a curated dining experience, Chef Joey Giorgianni brings passion, creativity, and authentic Italian flavors to your table.
📞 Call or Text: 323-645-0959📧
Email: joeygiorgianni@gmail.com
Let’s talk about your vision and craft a menu that makes your event unforgettable.