Meet Chef Gio Osso

Restaurant: Virtu Honest Craft and Pizzeria Vertu in Scottsdale, Arizona

Niman Ranch Products Used: Long bone pork chop, dry aged beef, rotating menu items

Chef Gio Osso began working in kitchens when he was only 13. As with many chefs, he started in the dish pit, and occasionally helped the front of house as a busser. Right before his high school graduation he announced to his parents he wanted to attend culinary school instead of college. His parents were not surprised. 

Gio began a grueling culinary program in New York called the New York Culinary School, which at the time was affiliated with the Culinary Institute of America. He enrolled in a special 24-hour program that offered students night classes. This allowed him to work during the day and focus on honing his kitchen skills in the evening. For a year he spent his days working in a pizza parlor to earn enough money to pay for his culinary education, then from 11:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. he attended class. He was truly dedicated to the craft. 

Fast forward more than 30 years and Chef Gio owns 2 restaurants in Scottsdale, Arizona. Virtu Honest Craft and Pizzeria Virtu. Before opening his first concept in 2013, he asked fellow Chef Bernie Kantak the chef of The Gladly, what proteins he used in his restaurant. Bernie put Gio in touch with Ron Norman from Sterling Meats—Gio has been using Niman Ranch proteins ever since. He says, “My restaurants are all about quality and you can’t get better quality than Niman.”  

Although his menu changes frequently, he has always had a Niman Ranch pork chop on the menu. Gio says, “We change our menu a couple of times a week. But people love the long-bone pork chop, they come just for that menu item, so that one stays”.