Gordon Naccarato
American chef and restaurateur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon Naccarato (born 1954) is a chef and restaurateur from Tacoma, Washington.
Gordon Naccarato | |
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Gordon Naccarato in 2008 | |
| Born | 1954 (age 71–72)[1] |
| Education | Stadium High School, University of Washington, Loyola Law School |
| Culinary career | |
Previous restaurants
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Awards won
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| Website | www |
Education and early life
Naccarato was born in Tacoma,[2] and grew up in the Tacoma area. He is the son of Stan Naccarato, a vice-president of the Tacoma Stars soccer team, and a restaurant owner.[3][4]
He graduated from Stadium High School in 1972,[4] and then attended the University of Washington. He met his wife Rebecca, also from Washington, while living in Washington.[5][6] After UW, he attended Loyola Law School at Loyola Marymount University for two years, then dropped out in 1977.[4][5][6]
Restaurant career
Naccarato started his restaurateur career as a chef working for Michael's in Santa Monica in 1979.[7] While there, he received Food & Wine Best New Chef award in 1988.[8]
Gordon Naccarato and his wife Rebecca opened Gordon's Restaurant and Rebecca's Bakery in Aspen, Colorado in 1984.[6][9][10]
Naccarato and his wife were granted a divorce, with Rebecca employed at a grill in Kirkland and later opening a Seattle restaurant with brother Tim Towner in 1990.[11]
Gordon moved back to Tacoma in July 2001[2][12] after working under Mark Peel of Campanile and in other Los Angeles restaurants, including Monkey Bar and Le Colonial, in the 1990s.[13][14][15] He started the Beach House restaurant in Purdy in 2002.[4]
In Tacoma, Naccarato is president of Naccarato Restaurant Group, which operates Pacific Grill.[16] He opened Smoke + Cedar restaurant in 2014.[4][17] The Classics Cafe at America's Car Museum is owned by Naccarato.[18] His brother Steve opened Shake Shake Shake in Tacoma.[2][19]
In September 2020, Naccarato announced the closure of the Naccarato Restaurant Group, permanently closing Pacific Grill restaurant and Pacific Grill Events & Catering, due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on business.[20]
Awards and recognition
In addition to the Best New Chef 1988 award noted above, Naccarato was named by Aspen Magazine in 2014 as one of 40 individuals creating modern Aspen, a former "culinary wasteland".[21]
Other chefs have noted the influence Naccarato had on their expression.[22]
Personal life
Naccarato was profiled as a prominent openly gay businessperson by The Advocate in 2013.[16]