Burt Cutino: Sardine Factory co-founder scales heights of success

Nation's Restaurant News, August 28, 1995 by Pamela Parseghian

Burt Cutino was born into a family with a long line of fishermen -- at least six generations. But after seeing his family suffer financially from a crash in the fish market, Cutino was determined to earn a better living. His first step in accomplishing that goal was to open The Sardine Factory in 1968 with his partner, Ted Balestreri, in a condemned Monterey, Calif., building in Cannery Row, a setting favored by author John Steinbeck.

Although many people told Cutino and his partner that they were out of their minds, the twosome persevered and sacrificed to build one of California's best-known -- and still-thriving -- fine-dining restaurants.

In addition to his restaurant involvement, Cutino also is a partner in real-estate ventures with an estimated value in the hundreds of millions of dollars. And the team also operates a number of Wendy's units.

After fulfilling many dreams, Cutino, 56, says he is now at a turning point in his life, where he needs to re-evaluate and set new goals.

Title: Co-owner and general partner, The Sardine Factory Restaurant, Cannery Row Co., Foursome Development Co. and Pacific Hospitality Inc. (Wendy's International franchise), Monterey, Calif.

Birthdate: Aug. 7, 1939.

Hometown: Monterey, Calif.

Education: Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, Calif., business degree, 1964.

Career Highlights: Being elected chairman of the American Academy of Chefs, a division of the American Culinary Federation; being named National Chef of the Year, ACF, 1988; and opening The Sardine Factory, 1968.

What is the medal you are wearing in this photo? That is the American Academy of Chefs' Medal.

So what is the philosophy behind the American Academy of Chefs?

It was founded in 1948 to recognize members of the ACF for their honors and achievements. Its main purpose is to pass on the skills and expertise of [its members]. The membership is by invitation, and there are requirements, such as that you have to be a certified chef and have at least 10 years at the executive chef level.

What are your goals as newly elected chairman of the academy?

I feel we need to have more exposure and be recognized more. I'll be networking with the members in a direction to further enhance the academy's role and its contributions to the culinary profession. We will raise funds for charities, culinary education and scholarships though dinners.

Did your father's profession as a fisherman influence your career?

Fishermen go all they way back for six generations in Italy. I know that for a fact because I just received from a family tree going back to the early 1700s. And they all fished. I probably would have gone into the fishing industry, but there was no future in it for me. I saw how hard my father had to work, and there was not a demand for seafood then, as there is now. The fishing industry fell out. At 13 I found myself having to go out to work to help my family. I started washing dishes for 30 cents an hour.

My goal at an early age was to break out of the fishing industry. I wanted to teach. I thought it was really a better thing to go into. But I got into the different aspects of the industry, and I enjoyed it.

What is the most important lesson you learned?

If you put a lot of yourself into whatever you are doing, you certainly can get the rewards. I saw that in the restaurant. And I had a lot of self-satisfaction.

What do you think was the key to your success?

I would think, more than anything, that I was willing to sacrifice, and I always set goals; and once the goals were accomplished, I set new goals.

How has the greater acceptance of American chefs as professionals over the last decade affected your career?

It has made a tremendous impact. Years ago people would say, "You're a chef," and they would just shy away. Today it has tremendous prestige.

What's the future for chefs in the U.S.?

I think they will be highly respected technicians, and they will be highly educated because of the evolution with food and how it relates to nutrition and all the different factors that the consuming public has become aware of. Now they want food that tastes good and looks good but isn't high in calories. Chefs have this challenge to meet, so they have to know the components. Education is the big thrust.

Do you have any practical advice for young chefs that you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?

Well, I think one of the main things I can tell you is you have to be patient and learn. Look at the past so you can see the future because opportunities will be there. Too many chefs want to be stars right away.

What motivates you to donate your time to organizations such as the American Academy of Chefs?

I think it is really giving back. When I was involved at an early age, I didn't have the opportunity to go to a culinary school. Now the ACF has the Horizons 2000 program to bring education to chapters. An outreach program really makes a difference because the education comes to them. I think that is really important. Now we have a lot of students coming from the schools and apprentices who are better trained. When I opened our restaurant in Monterey, it was very difficult to find employees with experience. And we had to do a lot of our own training.