Executive Chef Timothy Grandinetti, C.E.C., arrived at the St. Louis Renaissance Grand Hotel from the award-winning Washingtonian Center Marriott in Washington D.C. with the aim of repeating his success in achieving accolades for the food and beverage program. General Manager Robert Bray said "Timothy’s appointment is a significant step for The Renaissance Grand and I look forward to his contributions as a leader. His gregarious personality is already earning favor in this community.”
Chef Grandinetti, leads a combined brigade of 115, managing the hotel’s recently acclaimed Capri restaurant, a total of five kitchens and 70,000 square feet of banquet facilities. A beaming Chef Grandinetti said “I am confident that our style of savvy service and commitment to ultra-premium food and beverage offerings; combined with our spectacular, historic property will allow our hotel to set the standard in St. Louis.” He went on to say, "My intention is to be THE hotel of choice in St. Louis - for the discriminating traveler, our local business community, and convention attendees.”
Previous to Grandinetti’s success at the Washingtonian, he gained valuable experience as a leader on an opening task force with Lettuce Entertain You, Inc. where he played an instrumental role in bringing the newly created conceptual restaurant, “Big Bowl” to the Mid-Atlantic Region. Chef Grandinetti’s work experience also included an externship with world-renowned Chef David Kendrick at Kendrick’s Restaurant in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, post-graduation from the Rochester Institute of Technology, in Rochester, NY with a B.S. in Hotel/Restaurant Management.
Born and raised in Hudson, NY, the home of culinary treasures such as Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Chef Grandinetti began his training at the State University of New York; receiving an A.A.S. in Hotel/Restaurant Management. During his tenure there, he successfully completed an intense culinary internship with Walt Disney World Resorts, in Orlando, Florida. Committed to his craft, Chef Grandinetti continued his training at the four star–four diamond Wequassett Inn, located in Chatham, Cape Cod, MA.
Grandinetti’s culinary career seems to have been pre-destined: his Great Grandfather, Antonio Bucci, arrived in NYC from Naples, Italy in the early 1900's. In 1908, the Bucci family opened a grocery market in Hudson, NY; followed by La Bella Napoli Restaurant in 1913.
Chef Grandinetti began his career as a dishwasher at the St. Charles Hotel, in Hudson, NY; graduated with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management; owned & operated the family restaurant; and has held the position of Executive Chef for Marriott International since 2001. Presently, Chef Grandinetti is the Executive Chef of the largest Renaissance property in the Marriott portfolio - leading & teaching a brigade of more than 100 chefs, cooks & stewards.
Chef Grandinetti promotes and supports sustainable food systems; the enhancement of economic opportunities for farms; and the stewardship of our environment. In the Fall of 2006, Chef Grandinetti represented Missouri, as a delegate to the Slow Food's Terra Madre 2006 program in Turin, Italy. Terra Madre included: 1500 food communities from 5 continents, 5000 farmers, breeders, fishermen and traditional food producers, 1000 cooks and 200 universities - gathered together in Turin to share experiences and discuss the concept of agriculture and how it relates to good, clean and fair food.
In the Spring of 2007, Chef Grandinetti was invited to Japan, to facilitate culinary training for the U.S. Navy and Japanese culinarians as part of the partnership between the American Culinary Federation and the U.S. Navy. Yokuska, Japan is home to America’s most important naval facility in the Western Pacific, and the largest, most strategically important overseas U.S. Naval installation in the world. Traveling through Japan - the cities of Yokuska, Kamakura, Yokohama & Tokyo - Chef Grandinetti completed a stagiare at the Renaissance Tokyo Ginza Hotel receiving superior Japanese culinary training and experiencing the best culinary experiences Japan has to offer.
In addition, he has been the recipient of numerous awards including: Marriott's prestigious Award of Culinary Excellence, Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Chef’s Culinary Award; R.I.T's tradition-rich Alumni Entrepreneurial Award; and numerous American Culinary Federation sanctioned medallions, diplomas and certificates.
Describing his motivation, Chef Grandinetti stated: “My approach to the culinary arts is deeply "rooted" in tradition and my cooking style includes the desire to use ultra-premium, fresh ingredients - driven by the seasons. I am incredibly passionate about my craft. I believe foods are important; meaningful; & for me, food has the ability to conjure wonderful memories”.
Catfish Roulade
Warnol Valley Lake Catfish Fillet
Seasoning: Old Bay/Chives/Parsley
1 c. Baby Spinach
6 pcs. Prosciutto, thinly sliced
Glade Creek Farm’s Shrimp
Trim catfish & reserve scraps. Season catfish and position on 12" length of plastic wrap. Spread a 1/8 layer of fine herb mousseline over fillet. Place baby spinach leaves on top of mousseline. Spread another layer of mousseline over fillet. Season shrimp & wrap in thinly sliced prosciutto - place the inlay garnish at the tail end of the fillet. Roll the fillet and secure with twine. Poach for 14-16 minutes. Remove, allow fillet to rest & then slice.
Fine Herb Mousseline
1# catfish (scrap) & shrimp
1 t. salt
1 egg
8 oz. cream
1 t. smoked paprika
3 T. fine herbs
Grind seafood in food processor - season with salt; add egg & heavy cream; scrape down sides of bowl; sieve thru tamis. Fold in paprika & fine herbs.
Crepe
1.5 c. AP flour
2.5 c. Milk
6 eggs
Salt
Chives, Scallions
Combine all ingredients.
Mushroom Duxelles
1.5 T. butter
1 shallot
1/2 c. mushrooms, chopped
2 t. AP flour
3 T. cream
1 T. each chives/parsley
1/4 t. lemon
s/p/cayenne
Saute shallots & mushrooms. Dust with flour. Add cream. Season with herbs, lemon & spices.
Corn & Summer Truffle Sauce
1 T. butter
1 c. sweet corn
1 shallot
.5 c. wine
1 c. cream
2 T. truffle butter
s/p
nutmeg
Saute corn with shallots; add wine & reduce by 1/2; add cream simmer & reduce to 1 c. Puree the mixture, using a hand blender – strain, swirl in truffle butter. Season with nutmeg. Reserve warm.
Scallion Sauce
3 c. scallions
3 T. Olive Oil
.5 c. Clam Juice
2 T. butter
Blanch & shock scallions. Puree with olive oil & stock; season w/ s&p; swirl in butter; reserve warm.
Orange Chile Sweet Potatoes
1 cup OJ
1.5 T. palm sugar/brown sugar
1 t. red curry paste
3 T. coconut milk
Combine all ingredients. Add to roasted sweet potatoes.
Pecan Cracker
1 c. flour
¼ t. salt
¼ t. white pepper
10 T. butter
¼ c. sugar
1.5 T. honey
2 T. orange zest
4 egg whites
pecans
Mix together butter, sugar, honey & orange zest. Add dry ingredients. Fold in pecans. Bake 3-5 minutes – 350.
