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Paul Bartolotta is an American chef and restaurateur. He is particularly known for his authentic take on Italian cuisine and his innovative approach to acquiring the freshest possible seafood ingredients from around the Mediterranean. Paul Bartolotta has won the James Beard Foundation Award twice-once for Best Chef: Great Lakes (1994, Spiaggia) (1), and once for Best Chef: Southwest (2009) during his tenure at Bartolotta, Ristorante di Mare in the Wynn Las Vegas. (1) He is a recipient of the Insegna del Risotrante Italiano del Mondo in 1997 that was awarded to him by Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, president of Italy at the time. In 2009 he was a guest judge on the Bravo show Top Chef.

Early life
Bartolotta was born in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin to a family of Italian descent. He began working in restaurants at the age of 15 and served an apprenticeship under John Marangelli, whom he credits with helping to cultivate his sense of “taste.” (3) After graduating from the restaurant and hotel management program at ]Milwaukee Area Technical College in 1980, Bartolotta traveled to New York City, where he began studying under Chef Tony May, owner of the Rainbow Room at that time, and founder of the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani. In (1981?) Bartolotta traveled to Europe for what was to become a seven year education in European cuisine.(3)(2)

Career
During Bartolotta’s first seven months in [Italy], he worked at Locanda dell’Angelo under Chef Angelo Parucci in (what city?). He then traveled to (what city?) Italy to work at the Michelin rated two-star Ristorante San Domenico under Valentino Marcattilii, where he earned the title of “Chef di Cucina” at the age of 24. In (what month/year) Bartolotta moved on to France, where he worked at three-star Michelin, Relais et Chateau, and Traditions et Qualité restaurants. Among these were Moulin de Mougins under Roger Verge, Paul Bocuse in Collognes à Mont D’Or, Troisgros in Roanne, and Taillevent in Paris. Bartolotta took advanced pastry courses in Gaston Le Nôtre’s Ecôle Le Nôtre.

Bartolotta returned to New York in 1988, and resumed working for Tony May at two restaurants - San Domenico NY during the day, and Palio at night. During Bartolotta’s tenure at San Domenico, it received a three-star review from New York Times’ Bryan Miller, which was a pioneering achievement for an Italian Restaurant. John Mariani awarded San Domenico with 1988’s “Best Restaurant in the U.S.” Around this time San Domenico was also noted as one of the “Top 50 Restaurants in the United States” by the [Conde Nast Traveler], and in 1990 and 1991 San Domenico received four stars from [Forbes] Magazine, the only Italian restaurant to do so. Category:1962 births