At Ventano Italian Grill & Seafood, the holiday season has a way of bringing people back, often to the familiar welcome of Arnauld Briand. For more than two decades, the owner and executive chef has been a fixture in the Henderson dining scene, known for food made with care and for stopping by the table to greet regulars he knows by name. At Ventano, that personal connection is what makes an evening feel extra special.
Arnauld’s passion for cooking began in childhood in Paris, where watching his mother work in the kitchen sparked a lifelong fascination with ingredients and technique. After years in restaurants, he and his partners, Michael Monguillot and Carmine Vento, brought that experience to Henderson, opening Ventano in December 2002.
Ventano pairs sweeping city views with Italian cooking made for celebrations. Yet Arnauld says the details matter as much as the setting. When asked what sets Ventano apart, Arnauld points to “the ambiance and the vast number of different dishes we offer, but most importantly, the personal attention we bring to the dining experience.”
That attentiveness carries into his approach to holiday entertaining. For Arnauld, hosting is less about an elaborate production and more about creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable. Good music, conversation, and the people around the table are essential.
“Holiday time should bring out the best in people, and when that happens, people laugh and smile, cheer and giggle, and just make you feel happy.”
His own Christmas traditions include crepes in the morning and chicken scarpariello for dinner, a tradition shared with his wife, children, and grandson. For a larger gathering, he suggests cioppino, a generous seafood stew that brings a table together without requiring an all-day production in the kitchen. Cioppino holds a special place at Ventano during the season. Hearty, delicious, festive, it pairs perfectly with a rich red wine. It is an easy way to serve an impressive feast that feels like a true celebration.
For Arnauld, the secret to any dish, and perhaps to the restaurant business itself, is genuine investment.
“I never refer to my guests as customers, as they are more than that. They are my family!”
That philosophy helps explain why Ventano has endured. Twenty-four years after opening, Arnauld still takes pleasure in seeing familiar faces return and approaches guests with the same desire to make the meal memorable.
This holiday season, his classic cioppino offers one delicious way to bring a little of that Henderson tradition home.
Ventano’s Classic Cioppino
Serves 2
A generous, aromatic seafood stew designed to bring family together at the holiday table without keeping you trapped in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
• 1 dozen clams
• 1 dozen mussels
• 6 large shrimp
• ½ lb. small shrimp
• 8 oz. calamari, cut into ½-inch rings
• 1 fillet salmon or rockfish, cubed
• 1 cup clam juice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp. garlic, chopped
• ½ small can (approx. 7–8 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• Fresh Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Directions:
1. Sauté the Aromatics: In a large, heavy pot, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic, clams, and mussels. Sauté carefully, watching the garlic closely so it softens without burning.
2. Build the Stew: Add the remaining seafood (large shrimp, small shrimp, calamari, and white fish or salmon), followed by the dry white wine, crushed tomatoes, and clam juice. Stir in the bay leaf and fresh thyme sprigs.
3. Simmer: Cover the pot and allow it to simmer until the clams and mussels pop open. By the time the shells have opened, the delicate fish and seafood will be tenderly cooked through.
4. Finish & Serve: Discard any unopened shells along with the bay leaf and thyme stems. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley, and serve warm alongside crusty bread.
For the holiday table, Arnauld recommends pairing this savory seafood feast with the Ferrari-Carano “Siena,” a red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese that complements the richness of the dish without overwhelming its savory character.
"I never refer to my guests as customers...they are my family!"
For more than two decades, the owner and executive chef has been a fixture in the Henderson dining scene, known for food made with care and for stopping by...
For Arnauld, hosting is less about an elaborate production and more about creating an atmosphere in which everyone feels comfortable. Good music, conversation...