Events
Celebrating 20 Years 1993-2013
It hasn't always been easy or pretty, but the bright, happy moments far outnumber the bad ones. Thanks to you, our beloved guest, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. We invite you to celebrate with us with a long series of special events that we have prepared for you throughout the year. Stay tuned, we will be featuring wine events and classes, special chef and guest dinners, turn the clock back menus and more.
As the flagship restaurant of the Bartolotta Restaurant Group, we are proud that here is where 'it all started'. This also marks our entire company's 20th anniversary, a company born with the dream of providing exceptional culinary experiences through great service, food and ambiance.
Special Wandering Guest: Iron Chef Judge Mario Rizzotti of Academia Barilla
Our longtime friend Mario Rizzotti, a native of Rome, Italy, has worked for Academia Barilla for 11 years educating consumers on how to distinguish true Italian delicacies from the thousands of imitations on the market. You may have seen Mario in several TV appearances and also serving as a regular culinary judge on Iron Chef America. He was one of the judges during the famous battle of Rice featuring our very own Paul Bartolotta versus Batali. Mario is a true connoisseur on Italian culinary staples such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, balsamic vinegar, regional olive oils, artisanal pecorino cheese and more. For this special event, we will create a chef's tasting menu highlighting all of Academia Barilla's artisanal products and Mario will be on site to talk about them and guide guests through and olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting table side. Our 'wandering' format of events fits this type of guests perfectly. Mario's charismatic personality and knowledge combined with the interactive style of this event will allow guests to spend a great deal of 'quality table time' and should make for a very unique experience. Academia Barilla's unique products will also be available for sale at a special price that evening. Reservations are highly recommended as we anticipate filling up very quickly.
http://mariorizzotti.com/home/index.php
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
5:30 pm-9 pm Regular menu & reservations
414.771.7910
Former Ristorante Bartolotta Chefs Dinner
Over the course of these 20 years, many young aspiring chefs have come out of this tiny kitchen to further their careers in key positions throughout our company. Now, some of them are coming back 'home' to cook at this special event. Most of these guys are not cooking Italian these days, but that doesn't mean they've forgotten how to do it right. Each chef will prepare one course and Ristorante Wine Director Todd Hasselbacher will pair wines to each course.
CHEF LINEUP
Andrew Ruiz-Executive Chef/Joey Gerard's-Mequon
Zak Baker-Chef de Cuisine/Lake Park Bistro
Miles Borghgraef-Sous Chef/Lake Park Bistro
Luis Mendez-Executive Chef/Nonna Bartolotta & Pizzeria Piccola at Mitchel International Airport-SSP America
Kevin Beutin-current Sous Chef/Ristorante Bartolotta
5 chefs, 5 courses & 5 wines
Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
Arrival 5:30 pm $95/person plus tax & gratuity
Reservations 414.771.7910
Italian Guest Chef: Giorgio Soave
We are proud to announce that in the month of November, Ristorante Bartolotta will host two dinners with special Italian guest chef Giorgio Soave.
Giorgio hails from the Italian region of Veneto, a short drive from the city of Verona. The area is called Valpolicella, which means valley of many cellars. As the name implies, Valpolicella is famous for producing excellent red wines such as Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto as well as the white wine called Soave (just like the chef's last name). However, Valpolicella also shines in the food category, its excellent cuisine is based on ingredients produced here such as great vegetables like radicchio and white asparagus, salamis, polenta, risotto, hand-made pastas, mushrooms and cheeses such as Asiago and Monte Veronese among others. It is in this area that chef Giorgio owns Il Groto de Corgnan, a charming restaurant that specializes in regional cuisine. Giorgio opened his restaurant more than 25 years ago and, unlike many new restaurants in Italy that offer a modern interpretation of Italian cuisine, Soave is a classicly trained chef that never strays off his main focus on local cuisine based on local ingredients. In fact, if there's one thing Giorgio is famous for, it's that he goes out EVERY morning in search of the best ingredients he can get his hands on for the daily menu. And we're not talking about just going to the local market; Giorgio readies his backpack and heads into the nearby hills of the Lessinia Mountains in his quest for wild ingredients. It is there that Soave forages for nettles, chicory, wild spinach and the tender young leaves of the poppy seed plant in spring; blackberries and elderberries in summer; and wild mushrooms in autumn. On his way back, Soave also stops at his favorite "malghe," which is a mountain dairy cottage with free roaming cows that produce the most fragrant butter and the best cheese.
In Molina, a nearby village, the chef also owns a small agricultural farm where he grows the fruits and vegetables on which his tasting menus are based upon. Watercress, beans, celery root, radicchio, loquats and olives for his house-pressed olive oil are some of the staples of Soave's farm. With such knowledge of the local territory, Giorgio is considered an icon of the Valpolicella area and has been the obvious choice to represent the region as an "ambassador" in many European countries. He has also appeared on "La Prova del Cuoco," Italy's version of "Iron Chef." Il Groto de Corgnan has recently been named by Gambero Rosso, Italy's "Wine Spectator," as one of the places to eat while in Verona for the famous Vinitaly, the world's largest annual wine fair.
Joining us for two very special evenings, Giorgio, along with his daughters Anna and Martina, will bring the essence of the Valpolicella to Wauwatosa. His youngest, Anna, who's inheriting the kitchen at Groto, will be also be cooking that evening along with her father, while Martina the maître d' will be heading the dining room. She will greet guests and talk about her father's philosophy and the cuisine and wines of their land.
5 wines & 5 courses of Valpolicella Cuisine
$95 plus tax and gratuity
Wednesday & Thursday, November 20 & 21, 2013
6:00 pm Reception
Reservations required 414.771.7910
http://www.rai.tv/dl/RaiTV/programmi/media/ContentItem-69455ce0-ccd4-4b52-b81e-50860cebda09.html?p=0
http://www.gamberorosso.it/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=335896&Itemid=5
