QUICK BITES

Cooking with Giacomo

World-renowned Chef Giacomo offers the fi nest in cooking class experience at Ricciardi’s Italian Table.

Held at Ricciardi’s Italian Table, Chef Giacomo Guagliardo has all the ingredients: demonstrations focused on technique with dashes of personal tips blended with enchanting charisma for a fun, engaging, and informative class.

The class is for the avid home cook and food enthusiast from beginner to advanced. Giacomo understands the majority of students wish to learn technique and tidbits to entertain during their own dinner parties.

Born in Palermo, Sicily, Giacomo is a graduate chef from the Instituto Alberghiero School of Culinary Arts / Hotel & Restaurant Administration from the Universita degli Studi di Palermo.

His culinary experience is worldwide. He was executive chef for Embassy Suite hotels in Miami/ Fort Lauderdale and opened Saluté and Roselli’s. He then debuted his own restaurants: Nick’s Tomato Pie and Giacomo’s Tomato & Basil, both in Jupiter. He served as director of the Italian fast-food chain Sbarro, where he opened restaurants around the world, including places such as Egypt, the Middle East, Central and South America, India, and Russia.

Afterward, he was in Orlando to develop, design, and open Sbarro’s full-service Italian concept: Carmelas of Brooklyn. He moved to Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Winter Park to revamp the operation of the Mitchell’s Fish Market brand, where he met the owners of Ricciardi’s Italian Table, Joe Liguori, and his father, Michael “Pops” Liguori.

Giacomo became executive chef, general manager, and director of operations at Ricciardi’s.

Regarding the cooking class, “When Chef Giacomo came onboard, it came into fruition,” said Joe. “He has tons of experience in cooking, doing classes, presentations, and TV. It made it much easier to make it happen.”

“I knew Giacomo was fully capable; it is his element,” said Joe of Giacomo’s class. “He does very well, and it has been a huge success for us.”

Athens NY Restaurant in Spanish Springs Town Square closed last month. The owners said the lease ended and, though they hoped for renewal, it did not happen. They opened Flapjack Johnny’s in Groveland and Apopka. Anyone holding a gift card from the restaurant can contact them by emailing them at athensnyrestaurant@ yahoo.com for a refund. This is the second closing in Spanish Springs in the last month. Luigino’s closed in October. Rare Rachel Ray Rachel Ray has a new cookbook out titled “Everyone Is Italian On Sundays.” While most of us are more than willing to get on board with this policy, her usual habit of refraining from signing her books is a little harder to swallow. Lucky for customers of Mount Dora’s Barrel of Books and Games, the store recently got special permission to have her sign some copies at a Central Florida event. If you aren’t on their mailing list, you might still be able to snag a copy. Pay a visit to Barrel of Books and Games, 128 W. 4th Ave. in Mount Dora.

Cheese, they’re featuring fondue

The familiar restaurant at the corner of U.S. 441 and Hwy. 19 has reopened. A new sign says Lakeside Stone Grill, features seafood, steaks, and “fondue!” The restaurant is serving every day from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

YEE-HAW! RUSTLE UP SOME STEAK!

A new Texas Roadhouse restaurant on U.S. Hwy. 27/441 near Sam’s Club is on track to open in March. Serving dinner only, the restaurant will have 20 full- and part-time employees and will open seven days a week from 3–11 p.m.

SPROUTING NEW IDEAS FOR GOOD EATING

Coleslaw, that roast beef sandwich, and your favorite cornbread recipe, none of them are the same without mayonnaise. Cutting this key ingredient in our favorite foods is one New Year’s adjustment a lot of Southerners just aren’t willing to make. However, a company out of San Francisco may have our taste buds duped. Hampton Creek Foods has introduced Just Mayo, a product made entirely from plants. How does it stand against big dogs like Hellmann’s and Duke’s? Well, I bet your Grannie would never know the difference. You can also fi nd Just Cookie Dough in supermarkets, and a yummy egg substitute is in the works to make your omelet guilt-free, too!