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Gianfranco Motti - "Franco"
To Contact Franco:
Ristorante: 480-609-6969
Web Site: www.un-bacio.com
Un-Bacio, in Italian means 'One Kiss'. I like
Cinco-Bacio myself!
Upon entering Un-Bacio you are likely to be greeted by Franco,
completely decked out in his white coat and his tall hat. He
divides his time equally between overseeing the cooking and
customer's, two things in this world for which he has a great affection.
Franco's exudes passion for his art. In Franco's view, a great
restaurant is like a theatre. The best waiters see their jobs in
terms of giving a performance, totally immersing themselves
in their roles. He gestures toward his heart as he describes
what it takes to succeed in his business.
The boffo performer, of course is Franco. He is the chef; the
'padrone', the proud owner. Franco recognizes that wonderful
food is the only real secret to achieving acclaim from your
patrons. Like all successful European restaurateurs, Franco
knows, too, that there is only one way to ensure the quality
that he demands: when the restaurant is open he is there; if he
is not there, the restaurant is closed. And so he is there, seven
days a week, nearly twelve months every year. He is there in the
morning, to challenge the purveyors as they make their deliveries,
ruthlessly examining the greens, meat and fish. He is there in the
afternoon, finishing sauces, assessing the evening reservations,
preparing the waiters for their roles in reciting the daily fare and
supervising the scrupulous scouring and scrubbing that goes on
endlessly in his kitchen.
Born in 1942 in the middle of war-torn Italy, Gianfranco Motti
was
the second son in a family of five boys. His father was captured
by the fascists and imprisoned for six years. During that time his
mother was obliged to support her family and so she opened a
restaurant in Milan, where Franco found his calling. He worked
for his mother in the small tratorria that she struggled to operate
under wartime conditions and he knew that this would be his life
work. Upon completion of preparatory school, Franco went
immediately to cooking school at Lake Maggiore, where the
CIGA Hotel group conducts one of the worlds most famous
culinary schools. There he put to use much of what he had learned
from his mother during the many days and nights he spent in her
kitchen as he was growing up.
After graduating, Franco toured Europe and then began working.
His European résumé includes some of the finest kitchens in the world,
including the Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, the Bangkok Oriental and the
legendary Gritti Palace in Venice.
In 1975, a friend had convinced Franco that he should move to
America. He arrived in New Jersey, speaking scarcely one word
of English. Fortunately, his culinary expertise with food was
enough to get him established as he was immediately hired as
chef at the Manor in West Orange.
Franco then worked at the Rainbow Room in New York City
as well as Tre Scadini and Gian Marino. In 1982 he went back
to New Jersey and opened his first restaurant, the Via Veneto.
He also owned the Prima Donna and the Casa Bella. Still, in spite
of all his successes the east coast remained a foreign place to Franco.
In 1991, he and his wife, Arlene, and his daughter arrived in
Scottsdale, Arizona. In that same year, he opened Un-Bacio
on Scottsdale Road south of Camelback. On July 4, 1998,
Un-Bacio moved to their current location at 7704 E. Doubletree
Ranch Road in Scottsdale, Arizona. The new facility has a seating
capacity of one hundred and sixty guests in an elegant light setting
with windows separating the interior patio. This arrangement offers
a great and relaxing environment.
The expansive cherry wood bar with adjacent tables allows
patrons
to see the chefs preparing tasty meals at the grill. Lively entertainment
commences on the weekends in front of a dance floor off to the side
of the main entrance. Arizona he proclaims is now his home. It reminds
him of Sicily where the climate is warm, dry and clean.
Although he has chosen a resort town for his home, Franco has
little
time to take advantage of the surrounding. His day starts with a trip
to the restaurant and it rarely ends before midnight, when he locks
the doors. Occasionally, when he does entertain, he will invite fifty
or sixty people to is home on a Sunday afternoon and he will cook
while they watch a ball game or enjoy the pool. Then as the dinner
hour approaches, he is off again to Un-Bacio to cook and to meet
and greet his customers.
It is with great pleasure that, Franco, Owner and Head
Chef of Un-Bacio Ristorante, will be my Special Guest this week.
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