Letter from the Chairman

Tony May

Dear Friends,
A new year inevitably brings resolutions and proclamations of how to improve. With 2009 in our rearview mirror, we welcome 2010 full of energy, activity and optimism. We approach it with the goal of continuing to expand our membership and GRI's role as the authority on authentic Italian cuisine in the United States. Through partnerships fostered in 2009, we are continuing on a path full of promotional activity.

Barely into 2010, we're pleased to welcome new and renewed restaurants members Filippo's Ristorante of Boston, Salumeria Rosi of New York, The Italian Village in Chicago, and Jasper's in Kansas City. Our renewed corporate members are Banfi Vintners, Buonitalia, Acqua Smeraldina and Domaine Select Wine Estates. We are so thankful to our loyal membership for their support. Domaine Select Wine Estates (DSWE) and Jasper's of Kansas City are two cases in point and are our respective corporate and restaurant features this month.

Another goal for 2010 is to continue to make GRI as a group more visible. We're continuing our program with the Food & Finance High School (FFHS) in New York City as well as our newly formed alliance with the Casa Italiana-Zerilli-Marimo' at New York University. Even though it will not take place until November 2010, we will again participate in the Cook. Eat. Drink. Live with our won GRI Pavilion.

In January our restructured Board met to ensure our leadership group remains committed to the GRI mission. I thank all of our Board Members for their hard work to date and I look forward to a proactive and dedicated Board in 2010 and into the future.

We are proud to announce our annual trip to Italy this year will be to the region of Tuscany from April 13-20. Stay tuned to the GRI website for more details on the itinerary. These annual trips provide us, as a group, precious insights into what culinary trends are coming out of Italy, which translate into competitive advantages for us as individual restaurateurs.

We will also be announcing shortly the guidelines for the 2010 GRI Giacomo Bologna Culinary Scholarship. Consistent with our mandate, education is one of our most powerful tools to diffuse authentic Italian cuisine in the United States. Please help us solicit as many applicants as possible; this experience stays with the winning students' for a lifetime.

Lastly, we want to hear from you. We are a group that exists because of you, the members. Please keep us informed about your news.

Italian Cuisine Forever,

Tony May

Corporate Member Feature - Domaine Select Wine Estates (DSWE)

Domaine Select Wine Estates (DSWE) was founded by Paolo and Allison Domeneghetti in 1999. DSWE was founded to represent wines and specialized spirits from around the world of the highest quality and which express tremendous character, particular to their origin. Today the company operates as a national importer of fine wines and artisan spirits; and as a wholesaler Domaine Select Merchants in NY, NJ, CT and CA. The partners involved in Domaine Select Wine Estates have each been working in the beverage industry for many years. We caught up with Allison Domeneghetti, COO of Domaine Select, to get her input on Italian wine trends and to learn a little more about DSWE.

GRI: Tell us what is new with Domanie Select (in the context of Italian wine).
Allison Domeneghetti: After 10 years of business DSWE remains committed to representing the very best producers from around the world, a large proportion of which are Italian. Our portfolio of Italian Wines and Spirits includes producers who truly represent the character of their origin. We are advocates for wines with personality, style and of course above all, quality. Over the past few years we have also been focused on diversifying price points within the portfolio and we are delighted to be able to represent a vast array of value oriented wines that still uphold the tradition and quality which is paramount to our company.

GRI: Which Italian Regions and/or varietals do you think will do well in 2010?
Allison Domeneghetti: Consumers in the U.S. are open to exploring the diversity of Italy. Of course regions that produce excellent quality for value wines will experience great success in 2010. Wine producers throughout Italy are much more sensitive to the price points demanded by the U.S. market today and are working hard to try to accommodate this market.

GRI: Are there any new wine trends you see coming out of Italy, perhaps in response to the US economy?
Allison Domeneghetti: Here again, we believe that producers are very sensitive to the economy that is not limited to the U.S. but is global. Even suppliers in the ultra-premium category are beginning to produce more value oriented wines or they are temporarily re-thinking price structure; both which are very exciting to the U.S. consumer. Our hope is that these new wines or new price concessions will ultimately open a larger customer base for the ultra-premium wines produced by these suppliers that in their own category represent some of the best values of the great wines of the world.

This past year, DSWE generously supported our Corporate Recognition Dinner in November at SD26 and also helped us celebrate the Casa Italiana-GRI partnership with our kick off event in December, donating Averna Amaro and Villa Sparina Brut.

Restaurant Member Feature: Jasper's

Jasper Mirable, Sr., founder of Kansas City's legendary Italian restaurant, Jasper's,had a saying, " bere e mangiare bene"---drink and eat well. That mantra lives on through his son, Jasper Mirable, Jr. He knows the family history. He knows what makes Jasper's, which opened in 1954, such a great dinning experience. He offers both in his newly released Jasper's Kitchen Cookbook: Italian Recipes and Memories from Kansas City's Legendary Restaurant. The nostalgic collection---in a family album style---offers more than 100 endearing recipes and covers antipasti, dolci (desserts) and celebrates the Italian tradition of shopping local markets.

Jasper, Jr. understands that the love of food and family are essential to the rich traditions that make it possible to cook the very best authentic Italian dishes. Some have been in the family for years: Pumpkin ravioli, Cousin Marie's Baked Ziti and dolci like Jasper's classic Sicilian Cannoli. This year, Jasper's celebrates its 55th year anniversary of serving what is fondly referred to by the restaurant as "old school menu…basically what our grandmother prepared" he proudly exclaims.

Jasper, Jr. is tireless, generous and knowledgeable. He takes immense pride is being a loyal member of GRI for over 20 years having ventured to Italy on annual trips which he fondly remember as being a real learning experience. "We were rejuvenated with new menu ideas and products through meeting producers in the provinces. We met governors and restaurant owners and were treated like kings."

At the recent GRI Board of Directors meeting in January in New York City, he was appointed Vice President and Chief Representative of the Midwest to assist growth and Italian cuisine education in the region as a way of "giving back all that I have learned and benefited from being involved with GRI".

A professional cook, culinary instructor, author, radio host (of a live show in Kansas City) and owner of Jasper's and their specialty store, Marco Polo, along with his brother, Leonard, somehow Jasper, Jr. also finds the time every Monday to broadcast on the local NBC affiliate, "Live form Jasper's Kitchen."

If you are ever in the Kansas City area, stop by Japser's at 1201 West 103rd Street; tel: 816-941-6600. For further information see their web site at www.jasperskc.com. For more Jasper's recipes, go to www.gruppo.com

GRI To Visit Tuscany in April

For its annual member's trip to Italy, GRI has announced its intention to visit the city of the beautiful region of Tuscany from April 13-20. Travel logistics and itinerary details are still being worked out and will be posted on the web site in the near future. Each year, GRI arranges trips in association with a particular region visiting its wineries, restaurants and cultural sights to afford GRI members the opportunity to make contacts in Italy, gain insight into new menu items and explore regional products and traditions.

GRI-Giacomo Bologna Scholarship

The NRAEF has its own Facebook page where they feature their scholarships that includes the GRI-Giacomo Bologna Scholarship. It is slowly picking up momentum with more students going to the page and previous scholarship recipients posting photos & comments. This is one of the ways that the scholarship program is marketed to students encouraging them to submit applications. It would be great to see GRI Board members & members also post some comments. Here how to do it: 1) login to Facebook, then type in "NRAEF scholarships" and you are there.

Casa Italiana - Zerilli-Marimo' and Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani To Jointly Present Educational Lectures and Culinary Seminar in 2010

New York University's Casa Italiana-Zerilli-Marimo' and Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani formally announced on December 8, their co-sponsorship of a series of six educational lectures and a major culinary seminar event in 2010. As Stefano Albertini, the Director of Casa Italiana explained, "With an array of programs dealing in Italian cultural studies---in literature, cinema, politics and sociology---GRI's culinary emphasis and food as a prominent pillar in the image of Italy promises to make this collaboration wholly unique and engaging." To a standing-room only audience, the two organizations presented their intentions in a brief introduction of GRI to the Casa Italiana audiences and a specially invited guest list from GRI. Tony May, Chairman of GRI, eloquently expressed the mission of GRI as a "passionate promotion of authentic Italian cuisine and products that we explain to consumers through educational initiatives such as this, and then offer through the wonderful network of GRI Member restaurants in New York and around the country."

The evening was capped by a special VIP Members-Only Reception and an Open Reception, respectively before and after the program. GRI Corporate Members Banfi Vintners offered their San Angelo Pinot Grigio and Celestine Cabernet Sauvignon, along with the ever-popular Rose Regale. Domaine Select Wine Estates provided AVERNA Amaro and Villa Sparina Brut. GRI Restaurant Members Aroma Kitchen and Wine prepared a lovely seascallop and buffalo mozzarella arancini; SD26 served a signature Pappa col Pomodoro and IL Gattopardo provided some hors d'oeuvres, mainly...

GRI Board of Directors Meets on January 12 at SD26

The newly structured GRI Board of Directors met at SD26 to review its mission, current status of the organization and approve the event and initiatives plans for 2010.

Officers confirmed
Chairman, Tony May, SD26
President, Gianfranco Sorrentino, IL Gattopardo
Vice Presidents, Anna Frataroli, Filippo's Risotrante (GRI Chief Rep of New England), Japser Mirable, Jr., Jasper's (GRI Chief Rep Midwest) Co-Secretary - Theresa Hopkins, Italian Culinary Foundation
David Ernst, GRI
Treasurer - Michael Colangelo, Colangelo & Partners Public Relations
Directors confirmed
Cesare Casella, Salumeria Rosi
Paolo Del Gatto, Trattoria Dell'Arte
Rossano Giannini, Lanterna Tuscan Bistro
Tomasso Maggiore, Tomasso's (Phoenix)
Honorary Member
Laura Maigliolo, Barbetta

The Board instituted new subcommittees in Educational Initiatives, Commercial Initiatives, Funding, Memberships and By-Laws.

David Ernst and Theresa Hopkins were appointed by the Board to become the Co-Executive Directors of GRI to institute and manage the Board approved the 2010 Calendar of Events. Theresa will oversee trips to Italy and educational initiatives (including the GRI-Giacomo Bologna Scholarship) where David will administrate the GRI Office, events, memberships and strategy.

The 2010 Calendar reflects the strong strides GRI is making in its educational initiatives. At the date of the Board Meeting this included the Casa Italiana-GRI educational lectures and May seminar entitled, Italian Cuisine: A Victim of Its Own Success?, VINO 2010 New York, the annual trip to Italy, the GRI-Giacomo Bologna Scholarship, and the Cook, Eat, Drink, Live event in November. For these and many more activities that will be planned through the course of the year, please go to the GRI web site Event Calendar at www.gruppo.com.

IL Gattopardo Hosts GRI Christmas Party

GRI President Gianfranco Sorrentino hosted a sit down Christmas Dinner for a gathering or GRI Corporate and Restaurants members, along with their guests. In the cozy Garden Room nestled at the back of his Midtown eatery near the museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Gianfranco treated guest to passed hors d'oeuvres of rice arancini with mozzarella, peas and veal, pizza rustica of escarole, bruschette with stracciatella cheese; and a wonderful menu prepared by chef Vito consisting of:
ZUPPETTA DI LEGUMI E CASTAGNE
SFORMATINO DI MELANZANE E PROVOLA CON SALSETTA PICCANTE
SCIALATIELLI AI FRUTTI DI MARE
CAPRETTO AL FORNO CON PATATE E CARCIOFINI
CASSATA SICILIANA
To beautifully accent the meal we had a new wine, Massoferrato from Corporate member, Domenico Valentino, and owner of i Trulli, Nicola Marzovilla. Massoferrato is the first wine made from Sangiovese grapes grown on Marzovilla's Tuscan estate.

Members toasted the upcoming New Year and were thanked by Gianfranco for their efforts in supporting GRI. Tony May, Chairman of GRI, was presented a plague honoring his life-long service and devotion to 30 years of promoting Italian cuisine and the GRI organization.

Member Photo Collage / Awards

*Tony's, a St. Louis landmark, was again honored with the 2010 AAA Four-Diamond Award. Tony's is one of only four Four-Diamond restaurants in St. Louis and on of only five in Missouri.

We want to hear from you!

We always appreciate receiving news and updates from our members. Whether you have a new chef, opened a second location or have some promotions planned, we want to hear about it. Similarly, if you have photos of events, please send them to us (in the form of PDF file) with a brief one sentence caption and we will include them as well. Send your news to info@gruppo.com.

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