Hello, my name is Tony Romano. I have been the chef, owner and artist of Romano’s Restaurant and Art Gallery since I opened it 24 years ago. People are definitely moving towards hiring a private chef in an effort to experience true cuisine and attention to detail in service that has all but disappeared in most restaurants and are inconsistent at best in our food factory culture. Over the years at Romano’s I have cooked for thousands of guests who truly appreciate fine dining, including presidents, celebrities, dignitaries, famous artists etc. Although as of October 2012, Romano’s Restaurant and Art Gallery in Smith Bay is no longer in operation, I am offering the same level of service and cuisine via my Private Chef services. I am not interested in catering for large parties. My sole focus is providing unique, specialized dinners for between 2 – 12 people offering the same attention to detail in service and of course the fresh, flavorful and creative cuisine that has held Romano’s in such high international regard for over 24 years. I can prepare fresh and delicious dinners for my guests in my home/art studio, among works in progress or at their residence or villa. I am also offering a service where I can drop off certain foods (eg. A big pot of soup, a nice bottle of wine and a loaf of crispy, crunchy garlic bread) to people arriving at a villa so the they can relax with a drink as soon as they get there and then just heat up what I prepared thus no one has to be concerned about cooking or going out to eat on the first night. I have set menus available for your review and the items on these menus are interchangeable. It is important to remember that the menus listed are just a few samples, I have other recipes to offer such as homemade gnocchi, ossobucco, our famous soups and many more. I can also plan a complete custom menu for individual tastes and dietary requirements.
So, why use a private chef?
Why go out? Perhaps you want a romantic evening for two. Maybe the weather isn’t so great out, and you don’t want to deal with it. Or maybe you don't want to leave the children with a babysitter, you can't drink and drive, or perhaps you just want to do something different...and impressive!
Spending too much on eating out? Have you ever calculated how much you spend on average on restaurant & and take-away meals? Have you ever gone out to a expensive restaurant only to leave disappointed because of non-attentive service and/or mediocre food? Considering the cost of dinner, a babysitter, cab fare, etc. you may be VERY surprised!
Hectic lifestyle. Why spend hours in the kitchen when time is our most valuable & precious commodity!
A VERY special occasion. If you really want to impress, what could be better than your very own, Gourmet Personal Chef preparing a 5-star meal of superior restaurant standard - and served in your own home?
You're not very good in the kitchen, or just simply not interested! We can't all be master chefs, and some of us don't want to be...so leave it to the professionals, we love to cook!
Generally a Gourmet Personal Chef will call or visit you in your home to discuss your particular requirements and make menu suggestions. They will pay particular attention to any dietary needs and personal preferences.
They will shop for all ingredients and if necessary, source specialty suppliers.
They will arrive in your home and do all of the cooking to professional standards.
If needed they will arrange for the services of a waiter to serve the food.
They will clean the kitchen perfectly after they are finished.
If the dinner is prepared at my studio the same expectations apply.
$175.00 per person - with minimum charge of four people. Price includes all food and gratuities. Any extra compensation for service above and beyond is at the complete discretion of the guest. Guest is responsible for providing the wine of their choice, however I can gladly provide the wine or offer a complete wine paring with each course at an additional fee. The price does not include alcoholic beverages or beverage service, although; we will certainly serve the wine, pour water etc. throughout the evening. The dinner also includes an after dinner drink of my delicious handmade Limoncello which I make totally by hand exactly the way it is done on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It is important to remember that this is a very different situation then going out to a restaurant. The guest is paying the chef for his expertise to come into your home or in his home and prepare an unforgettable dinner for you and your guests that involves shopping, planning, driving time, in addition to hours of preparation time.
“The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you're hungry again.” ~George Miller
Photography by Mr. John Cahill
Chef Tony Romano - tr@tonyromano.net - (cell) 340.344.4450
