Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Hyde Park, NY – To mark the centennial of Francesco “Frank” Giambelli’s birth, a new addition to The Culinary Institute of America’s
Archives and Special Collections is now on exhibit in the college’s in Hyde
Park. The Francesco and Mary Giambelli Collection
is a delightful illustration of the American Dream becoming a reality.
The photographs, menus, tableware, restaurant memorabilia,
awards, and correspondence serve as examples of the success of a hardworking
immigrant who established a traditional-style high-end restaurant that excelled
because of attentive service and noteworthy cuisine.
Frank Giambelli had a long career
as proprietor of one of the most celebrated Italian restaurants in New
York
City. The Francesco and Mary Giambelli Foundation
donated items to the CIA that follow his life and career from Voghera,
Italy, where he was born in 1915 and opened his
first restaurant in 1948, to America, where he met his wife and
launched a
restaurant that would serve New Yorkers for more than 50 years.
Giambelli 50th, known for its impeccable service and
authentic Northern Italian cuisine, was a place where both U.S.
presidents and
tourists were welcomed and entertained by the Giambellis and their
staff. It closed in 2009, three years after Mr. Giambelli’s death.
Three notable events in his career are also depicted in the
exhibit: purchasing an 1878 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild,
hosting Pope John Paul II, and being awarding the Guinness World
Record for buying the largest white truffle ever at auction (2.4 lbs.
for
$41,000).
Highlights of the Francesco and Mary Giambelli Collection will be on
display in the library’s Tober Exhibit Room through April 9. It is open
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m. The collection is part of a larger gift to the college from the
Foundation, which includes a statue of Mercurio from Giambelli’s
restaurant, now on permanent display in the
Francesco and Mary Giambelli Atrium Lobby in the
CIA’s Marriott Pavilion.
Photo Captions and Hi-Res Images
Photo 1 (top photo): Francesco and Mary Giambelli met Pope John Paul II in
1995, after Mr. Giambelli prepared a banquet for the
Pontiff's visit to New York City. Photos and memorabilia from his life and
restaurant career are on exhibit in the Conrad N. Hilton Library at The
Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. (Photo courtesy: The Francesco and Mary Giambelli Foundation)
Photo 2: Impeccable service and hospitality, along with authentic northern Italian
cuisine, were hallmarks of Giambelli 50th, Francesco Giambelli's New York City landmark restaurant for half a
century. Now, photos and memorabilia from his life and career are on exhibit in
the Conrad N. Hilton Library at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park,
NY. (Photo courtesy: The Francesco and
Mary Giambelli Foundation)
Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is an independent,
not-for-profit college offering associate degrees in culinary arts and baking
and pastry arts and bachelor's degree majors in management, culinary science,
and applied food studies, as well as certificates in culinary arts and wine and
beverage studies. As the world's premier culinary college, the CIA provides
thought leadership in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, and
world cuisines & cultures through research and conferences. The CIA has a
network of 48,000 alumni that includes industry leaders such as Grant Achatz, Anthony Bourdain, Roy
Choi, Cat Cora, Dan Coudreaut, Steve Ells, Charlie Palmer, and Roy Yamaguchi. The CIA also
offers courses for professionals and enthusiasts, as well as consulting
services in support of innovation for the foodservice and hospitality industry.
The college has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.
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