If you watched ABC's "Nightline" last night, you got a surprise, as the show's "Platelist" feature looked at Paul Bartolotta and his restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas.
The accompanying Web feature on 47-year-old Milwaukee native says, "Chef Paul Bartolotta is a man known around the world as a master Italian culinary genius. Bartolotta is often singled out for his big personality, fresh fish cooked to perfection, and his signature drizzle of olive oil."
It also notes Bartolotta's Milwaukee ties ...
"He started cooking with his family when he was 16, and today he and his brother continue the tradition. Paul and his brother Joe have opened five successful Milwaukee restaurants.
"Their first, Ristorante Bartolotta, began offering 'cucina rustica' in 1993: traditional Italian food made from fresh ingredients. In 1995, the Bartolotta's opened another four-star restaurant called Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro. Three more venues followed, a steakhouse, a pizzeria and a downtown eatery. By this time the Bartolotta brothers had cornered the Italian fine-dining market."
Read the full story here. Read OnMilwaukee.com's story on Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare here.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
