By Nicki & Harold Chodnof

East City Grill Recipe Links

• Nori Wrapped Salmon With Stir Fry Vegetables & Wasabi Cream
• Ginger Scented Risotto
• Macadamia Nut & Banana Crusted Chicken
• Boniato Plantain Smash
• Black Bean Pineapple Salsa

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - Gianni Respinto has been in the kitchen ever since he can remember. This 37-year-old Bronx native started his career in the kitchen of his family's restaurant, Rocco's in Greenwich Village. He vividly remembers washing sauté skillets for his dad when he was 13. He graduated from the skillets to busbuy and making the bread baskets.

After earning a Bachelor's Degree in hotel/restaurant management from the New York City Technical Institute, Respinto worked for Marriott properties for four years. He's held positions in high-end restaurant companies and resorts in Florida, Massachusetts and New York.

After traveling around for a while, Respinto came to Florida in 1988 to work for Cafe Maxx in Pompano Beach, a half-hour's drive from the grill. When Oliver Saucy, co-owner of Cafe Maxx, decided to open a beach-front restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Respinto got the go-ahead. He hasn't looked back as the restaurant earned four-star reviews from the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald. Gourmet magazine called the restaurant a "hot new spot" in its October 1996 edition.

Prior to his association with the East City Grill, Gianni was executive chef at the Grapevine, which under his direction expanded from a storefront cafe to a gourmet restaurant, retail shop and catering service. To this day, Respinto sees getting a four-star rating for the Grapevine from Excess magazine as his greatest accomplishment.

Respinto's style at the East City Grill is Global American cuisine which he defines as local ingredients integrated into the cultural environment of South Florida. This means the ingredients from Cuban, Caribbean and Southern cooking combined into a destinctive taste and look. The goal: low-fat, high flavor.

This eclectic way of working with food shows through in Respinto's favorite dishes: bourbon oysters, sea bass, charred tuna and snapper. He tries not to get locked into to one dish, but his specialty is seafood.

Five or six menu items can change daily at the East City Grill. Respinto says there is so much competition in the restaurant renaissance of South Florida and so many reasons for people to try other restaurants, he wants to give customers a reason to come back.

Respinto tries to please the palates of vastly different customers. He must be doing something right as 60 percent of the clients are locals, with many business people as loyal clients. As the seasons change, in addition to North American tourists, he sees many South Americans in the summer and Europeans seeking the South Florida sun in the winter.

Most days if you looked into Respinto's refrigerator, you'll find two bottles of chardonnay and some condiments, slim pickens as he and his wife, also in the restaurant business, are not home enough to cook. But on those ocassions when he cooks or throws an intimate dinner party, he'll make comfort food: linguine with clam sauce or sausage on the grill.

With the restaurant business and gourmet food a part of his life for most of his life, Respinto's taste can be decidedly common. For his last meal, he'd opt for a hot dog and an ice cold beer.

East City Grill
at the Riviera Resort Hotel
505 N. Atlantic Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale
954/565-5569

East City Grill Recipe Links

• Nori Wrapped Salmon With Stir Fry Vegetables & Wasabi Cream
• Ginger Scented Risotto
• Macadamia Nut & Banana Crusted Chicken
• Boniato Plantain Smash
• Black Bean Pineapple Salsa