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Based in Los Angeles, California, Chef Joey Giorgianni is a classically trained private chef with a reputation for crafting deeply personal and refined dining experiences.
A graduate of the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu culinary school, he blends rigorous French technique with a heartfelt Italian culinary sensibility. While Joey is best known for his soulful reinterpretations of traditional Italian fare, his training and experience allow him to move confidently across a wide range of global cuisines.
Whether designing a multi-course tasting menu or a relaxed, family-style celebration, Joey’s food is guided by precision, intention, and an intuitive understanding of flavor, memory, and occasion.
Chef Giorgianni
Chef Q&A
Q: What was your path into the culinary world like?
A: A little unconventional. I didn’t take the direct route. There was a time when I was trying to follow a more traditional career path—working in a desk job and pursuing a business degree. But cooking kept pulling me back. It wasn’t until I hit a personal crossroads, losing my job and struggling to work during the Great Recession, that I finally listened and made the leap. At my friends encouragement, I enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu, and from the moment I stepped into that kitchen, I knew I was where I was supposed to be.
Q: What was your time at Le Cordon Bleu like?
A: Intense—in the best way. It’s a serious place. They teach discipline, precision, and respect for ingredients. I learned how to break down a dish into its basic elements and rebuild it, how to refine flavor without overcomplicating it, and how to utilize traditional, long-standing techniques to precisely execute dishes or creatively reinterpret them. That foundation is something I carry with me in every menu I create, no matter the cuisine.
Q: When you’re designing a menu, where do you usually begin?
A: With the person I'm cooking for. I want to understand the event, the energy, the intention—what they want to feel and what they want their guests to remember. From there, I start to shape a narrative. That might mean leaning into my Italian roots and pulling from family traditions, or it could mean incorporating other cuisines I've trained in. The goal is always to make something that feels thoughtful, not just impressive.
Q: A lot of your food is Italian in spirit, but you don’t limit yourself to that tradition, do you?
A: Not at all. Italian cuisine is home for me—it’s how I learned to love food. But my training at Le Cordon Bleu was rooted in classical French technique, and that’s really shaped the way I build a dish. I’m comfortable working across a variety of cuisines, whether that’s modern Californian, Mediterranean, or Middle Eastern. What’s important is balance and storytelling. The ingredients and flavors should work in harmony, no matter where they come from.
Q: How does your background influence the way you cook?
A: Growing up in an Italian household, food wasn't just food—it was how we celebrated, how we took care of each other, how we remembered things. That shaped everything for me. Even when I'm working with other cuisines, there's always a sense of warmth and connection that comes from that upbringing. I'm not chasing trends; I'm trying to create something that feels grounded, maybe even a little nostalgic.
Q: Have you always had that level of confidence in your cooking?
A: I think the confidence came from doing the work. There were definitely moments of doubt early on—especially when I was juggling jobs, taking the bus across the city, running a meal prep business out of my apartment just to stay afloat. But the more I cooked, the more I realized I could tell stories through food—and that people responded to it. That’s what gave me the confidence to push forward.
Q: How did your family respond to your decision to become a chef?
A: It wasn’t instant support, let’s put it that way. But once they saw how serious I was—how much of myself I was putting into it—they came around. They visited, tasted my food, and saw the life I was building. That meant everything to me.
Q: What do your clients appreciate most about working with you?
A: I think they feel how personal it is. This isn’t just a job for me—it’s a craft, and it’s a relationship. I take the time to understand what matters to them, and I build from there. Whether it’s a formal tasting menu or a relaxed dinner for close friends, I want every bite to feel intentional.
Q: And finally—what’s your favorite kind of meal to cook?
A: One that brings people together. I love when a dish sparks conversation, or reminds someone of home, or introduces them to something new. For me, that’s the magic. It doesn’t matter if it’s plated or shared—if it connects people, I’ve done my job.
