Every month, we sit down with an esteemed Valley chef for a fun game of 21 Questions. This month, we're chatting with acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and founder of Virtù Hospitality, Gio Osso.
While he's known for Virtù Honest Craft and Pizzeria Virtù, some of Gio's favorite moments happen at home with his children in the kitchen.
"It's less about teaching them how to cook and more about being together."
Family, fatherhood and food... here's Gio in his own words.
1. You joke that you're from the "far left coast of Italy, New Jersey."
Yes, it was a lot like growing up in Italy. It was a close-knit community where neighbors looked out for one another, doors stayed unlocked, and family was at the center of everything.
2. How much of your childhood felt Italian?
From Sunday family dinners to making tomato sauce every summer, our parents and grandparents worked hard to preserve our traditions and pass them down.
3. What are some memories of spending summers in Calabria?
Family lunches. Everyone came together around the table, sometimes for three hours or more. The food was incredible, but it was really about connection and belonging.
4. Who shaped you the most?
My mother. She passed away on my 24th birthday, but her influence is with me every day.
5. What's a food memory you'll never forget?
My grandfather would pick tomatoes from the farm at sunrise, and my grandmother would spend the day turning them into sauce for lunch. I've spent my entire career chasing flavors, but I've never forgotten that sauce.
6. What did you think you'd be when you grew up?
A professional soccer player. I used to sleep with a soccer ball next to my bed.
7. What was your first job?
Delivering newspapers with my best friend.
8. When did cooking become more than a hobby?
It never was a hobby. Food was simply part of life. In our family, food wasn't something you did.
9. What was the best advice your mother ever gave you?
Learn from people you admire, but never forget who you are. Don't lose your roots trying to become someone else.
10. What did New York kitchens teach you?
Discipline, precision, and excellence. I also learned you can demand greatness without tearing people down.
11. What's been the toughest period of your career?
Right now. The restaurant industry has changed dramatically, and staying relevant requires constant evolution.
12. Did you ever consider walking away from it all?
After my mother passed away. I spent years questioning whether the long hours were worth it. Eventually, I realized the answer wasn't leaving the industry. It was finding a healthier relationship with it.
13. What brought you to Arizona?
A friend invited me to visit, and I fell in love with the people, the desert, and the opportunity to create something of my own.
14. What did Arizona give you that New York couldn't?
The freedom to create my own path. Arizona allowed me to take everything I learned and build something uniquely my own.
15. When did Arizona start feeling like home?
Almost immediately. The culinary community embraced me from day one, and more than 20 years later, I'm still grateful for that.
16. What was the biggest leap of faith you've taken professionally?
Opening my own restaurant. There are no guarantees. You have to believe in yourself and take the leap.
17. Which accolade meant the most to you?
Being named one of Esquire's Top 20 Best New Restaurants in America and becoming a James Beard Award semifinalist.
18. What piece of Calabria still exists in everything you cook?
Simplicity. Great ingredients don't need much.
19. What are your favorite moments with your children in the kitchen?
When we're laughing, making a mess, and spending time together. If they learn a few recipes along the way, that's a bonus.
20. What do you hope your children remember most about growing up with Chef Gio as their dad?
I don't care if they remember me as Chef Gio. I care that they remember me as Dad. If one day they look back and say, "I had a great dad," that's worth more than any award I've ever received.
21. If you could have one more meal with your grandparents, what would you tell them?
I'd say thank you. Thank you for the sacrifices they made, the traditions they preserved, and the legacy they left behind.
virtuscottsdale.com
"My grandfather would pick tomatoes from the farm at sunrise, and my grandmother would spend the day turning them into sauce for lunch."