Today we’d like to introduce you to Gianfranco Mastrangelo.
Hi Gianfranco, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I grew up in New Jersey in an Italian-speaking household. I started working in the restaurant business at 14 in a neighborhood Italian (Sicilian) restaurant. In my teen years, I did an apprenticeship with some older, experienced pastry chefs from Palermo. This ignited my passion for cooking. My family had an Italian restaurant, also called Quattro Gatti, on the Upper East side of Manhattan for many years, so this business and this way of living is in my blood. Through the years, I developed a passion for breadmaking, and I experiment daily with my bread to learn continuously. As a painter and a sculptor, I have always felt like an artist in my kitchen- expressing myself through creating a truly rustic and beautiful bread. I have been privileged to work closely with talented pizza makers from Naples and Rome, who have helped me enrich my knowledge and develop a deep respect and devotion to the craft. I opened Quattro Gatti on Congress Ave, near the capital, fourteen years ago. I helped design and build our brick pizza oven. Back then, I would knead the dough by hand every day. Today, I work alongside my wife, Renee, in the restaurant every day. We are hands-on and present- ensuring our customers enjoy the experience. It’s been a journey. The restaurant has grown and evolved. I’m always trying to improve the product, looking for the freshest, most high-quality ingredients to make our food what it is today: simple, authentic, delicious Italian food.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! We’ve always had challenges: the restaurant business and life. It teaches you to dig deeper, find resolutions, be better, and learn more about your character. We wouldn’t have it any other way. When we first opened, it was challenging- growing the team and the knowledge of Italian food- trying to build momentum. It took dedication to continually change what didn’t work and build on what did work. We closed and reopened several times during covid. Some nights, my wife and I worked in the restaurant, delivering food with our two kids. We stuck with it and worked hard to stay open and keep our team employed.
Please talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy.
I like the simple things: cooking a simple dish with beautiful ingredients, then sitting down at the table to enjoy it with my family, having coffee with my wife, having time to think, and reading to feed my mind- philosophy, travel, and culture. Creating good health- rituals of exercise, nutrition, outdoor activity
Contact Info:
- Website: www.quattrogattiaustin.com
- Instagram: @quattrogattitx
