It’s ciao for Rosario Granieri, the executive chef at Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria at 8113 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.
“He had another offer and left,” says Spiro Gioldasis, Pacci’s owner. “He got another opportunity in New York,” said Gioldasis, who added that staff trained under Granieri are now making the Neapolitan-style pizza at the stylish eatery.
The Naples-born pizzaiolo was also responsible for developing the menu at Gioldasis’ sister restaurant, Pacci’s Trattoria & Pasticceria at 6 Old Post Office Road in Silver Spring. Another chef who was executing the menu there has since been “discharged” and now sous chef Jean Roberche is at the helm, according to Gioldasis.
Meanwhile, the trattoria will soon be serving pizza. Gioldasis said that six out of 10 diners ask for pizza at the restaurant, which currently serves pasta and a handful of meat and seafood dishes.
Since the Seattle-manufactured pizza oven is the same as the one used at Pacci’s on Georgia Avenue, Gioldasis is hopeful that county approval will go smoothly and that the trattoria can start offering pies by the end of March.
