Gabriel Viti: trading the trendy for the traditional

Nation's Restaurant News, April 22, 1996 by Carolyn Walkup

The open kitchen at Gabriel's Restaurant reveals the discipline and order found in some of the most acclaimed restaurants in Europe. Although chef-owner Gabriel Viti grew up not far from his suburban restaurant, be gained worldly culinary experience that began five days after he graduated from The Culinary Institute of America.

Through determination and cultivating the right contacts, Viti was accepted to work in the kitchens of Joel Robuchon and Michel Guerard in France, Fredy Giradet in Switzerland and San Domenico in Italy, among others. Back home in Chicago, he worked for Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and Carlos before opening Gabriel's in 1993.

In an age when many chefs have traded in their toques for baseball caps and long aprons for loudly patterned chefs' pants, Gabriel and his cooks wear their toques, neckerchiefs and long, white aprons at all times, even before customers arrive. Viti believes his disciplined approach is key to producing consistent meals that have won a strong following of repeat customers. Open for dinner only, Gabriel's has a check average of $40.

Title: Chef-owner, Gabriel's Restaurant, Highwood, Ill.

Birthdate: Aug. 26, 1963.

Birthplace: Mesa, Ariz.

Formal culinary education: The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y.

Career highlights: Opening Gabriel's; working for Joel Robuchon and being one of 25 chefs cooking for 45 people at each service in one of the most disciplined kitchens in the world.

Menu sampler: Roasted salmon with black beans and scallion sauce; veal saltimbocca with sage sauce; roasted rack of lamb with ratatouille and thyme sauce; lemon-lime tart with toasted almonds.

Why did you choose to work in European kitchens right after you graduated from culinary school?

I didn't want to work with any restaurant in the United States. I knew there was something going on in France and Switzerland that I could not get in the United States. There was so much to learn.

What most impressed you about your experience with Joel Robuchon?

It [the kitchen] was so disciplined. For 16 to 18 hours a day, you were not allowed to talk to anybody. It had a big influence on me.

How have you applied your European experiences to your own kitchen?

We wear toques, neckerchiefs and long aprons, and they have to be clean. My kitchen is extremely clean.

How long did you work for Robuchon and other legendary European restaurateurs?

I worked for Robuchon for one year, for Giradet for 10 months and with Fernand Point for seven months while Madame Point was still alive.

Point was a phenomenal experience because everything was so old and traditional. I was able to see exactly what he was all about. His staff stayed on after he died. I have a picture of him in my kitchen.

Did you consider staying in Europe instead of coming back home?

I thought about doing a hotel restaurant in the ski resort of Chamonix, below Mont Blanc, but the economy was so poor. But I really liked living in France because of the way and pace of life there and the appreciation of food that the clientele has.

How do you describe your restaurant?

It's Italian and French -- you could say a Euro bistro. You don't have to have a coat and tie. The food is classical dishes, served in my style. We use classical methods of cooking -- braising, sauteing and grilling. The flavor is the most important thing. Then we will make the plate look presentable.

Is plate presentation important?

We don't do nouvelle cuisine. I think people went through a phase where you wanted to see how it looked. Now people want to know how it tastes.

When did you know you wanted to be a chef?

I have always wanted to have a restaurant since I was 5 years old. My grandfather and uncle have steak houses in Arizona, and we used to go out there all the time on vacation. I cooked at home with my mom a lot. In sixth grade I made pasta and sauce for a class project.

When did you first start working in restaurants?

I worked in restaurants in high school. I worked for Arnie Morton at Arnie's North. He really got me started. I have been very lucky. I've gotten to work with great people in this business.

Why did you choose this location for your restaurant?

The Chicago area supports its restaurants for a long time if you keep up care and consistency. Since I grew up in Highland Park, it was a perfect opportunity to come back to my roots.

Have your customers become loyal?

We have been able to hang on to our customers. We have customers who will eat here once a week. People use us for birthday parties and anniversaries. It's becoming very clubby.

Do you spend much time in the dining room?

Every night I try to talk to all of the guests. I think I've left only once before my guests did. As they are leaving, I ask them how everything was. I think that's pretty rare.

Has the labor shortage posed any challenges in hiring and retaining staff?

I have been very fortunate with the people I have had in the front-of-the-house and in the kitchen. But it's hard to find people for the front-of-the-house who will smile at every customer every night. You have to be able to be polite consistently. But I have some star people on my staff.