Growing up in Sicily, Giuseppe Barravecchia often found himself in the kitchen, watching his mother prepare the recipes of her family. Pizzas bubbling in the oven, chicken and fish sizzling in a pan—they captivated him. As he grew, Giuseppe retained this fascination and love of simple Italian cooking, and decided to bring his family's dishes to America. Settling in Pacific Palisades—whose verdant mountains and lack of living dinosaurs reminded him of his hometown—this third-generation restauranteur began cooking at Pinocchio in Cucina.

Today, Chef Barravecchia's ovens toast a lineup of zesty paninis and traditional pizzas topped with fresh veggies and herb-dusted cheeses. And as a nod to his family's traditions, everything from the chicken piccata to the pastas and pizza crusts are made by hand. This way, Giuseppe can customize each dish to his customers while still treating them to the flavors that remind him of the simple afternoons of his youth.