Give a Chef for the Holidays

Jerry Pizzitola (Photo by John Anderson)

Kitchen Duty

Ebullient chef Jerry Pizzitola grew up in a big, warm Italian-American family in Houston where everyone spent time together in the kitchen. His diverse background includes time onstage as a stand-up comedian, a culinary-school education, a stint in the Air Force during Desert Storm teaching survival courses and refueling planes in midair, followed by a stateside job catering for the star and cast of the TV show Walker, Texas Ranger. In 2006, he helped his cousin Damian Mandola realize the dream of opening a first-rate Italian market in Austin. These days, Pizzitola puts his myriad talents to good use operating his own personal-chef service based in Georgetown.

Some days you can catch Pizzitola teaching cooking classes at Hollandaze Gourmet in Georgetown or at Faraday's Kitchen Store near Lake Travis. He also has a long list of devoted private clients who prefer cooking demonstrations in their homes around Sun City (see photo, above). Among Pizzitola's most popular classes are his Mozzarella Grams – entertaining demonstrations of cheese-making that can result in a variety of delicious mozzarella presentations, some of which are pictured on his website. "I made thousands of pounds of cheese in the year that I worked at Mandola's, and now showing people how to do it is a very popular aspect of my business," he explains. Pizzitola can handle catering for events large and small, as well as in-home cooking demonstrations, lunches, or dinner parties. He's always ready for kitchen duty.