Briscola Trattoria
- When
- April 30, 2025
- Where
-
Briscola Trattoria
798 a Franklin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
For one night only at Briscola, Chef Silvia Barban and friends will prepare a five-course dinner. She will be cooking alongside Chef Mavis Jay Sanders, Chef Gerald Sombright, and Bilena Settepani. This special evening will celebrate their love for cooking as they create a menu inspired by their childhoods, their connection to Italy, and their admiration for Jacques Pépin and his mentorship.
Highlights
- Italian bubbles served on arrival
- Your host will share the stories and secrets behind the menu
- Tasting menu with wine pairings available, including Calvisius Caviar and Urbani Truffles
- Special guests Chef Mavis Jay, Chef Gerald Sombright and Bilena Settepani
Details
- Thanks to the generosity of the participating event host, a portion of the evening's proceeds will be donated to the Jacques Pépin Foundation to support our mission of expanding access to culinary education. We deeply appreciate your generous support.
- Jacques Pépin proudly supports our 90/90 Celebrations. While he can't be present at all of them, we invite you to check our website for details on the events where he will joining in celebration.
- For more information, contact Briscola Trattoria
Event Host
Silvia Barban
Chef/owner, Briscola Trattoria
Silvia Barban was born and raised in Northern Italy. She grew up cooking with her grandmother, Delia, and always admired her ability to bring people together through her cooking. That’s when she decided to start cooking not only for her family but also to bring people together with her food.
She graduated from “E. Maggia” Stresa Culinary School and found her way in the kitchen of the Maestro of Italian cuisine, Gualtiero Marchesi. She worked for Giancarlo Perbellini, a two Michelin star restaurant in Verona. In 2012, she had the opportunity to move to New York with Chef Perbellini to consult for the opening of Giovanni Rana Pastificio e Cucina. What was supposed to be only a 3-month stay there became her home. After two years as a sous chef at Giovanni Rana, she later received an offer to become Executive Chef at Aita in Brooklyn, where she directed the restaurant using fresh local produce to create traditional and modern Italian dishes.
In 2016, she competed in Season 14 of Bravo’s Top Chef. When she arrived home from the competition, she partnered with her colleagues from Aita and opened a new restaurant, Larina Pastificio e Vino, in Brooklyn. The menu is a mix of Italian experiences and pasta, drawing inspiration from her childhood in Northern and Southern Italy as well as her current travels and continues to be a beloved Fort Greene neighborhood staple. On September 2024, she opened her newest restaurant in Crown Heights, Briscola Trattoria.
Guest Chef
Gerald Sombright
Executive chef, Troon
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Chef Gerald fell in love with the process of cooking at a young age. In 2022, Chef Gerald became the first Black man to earn a Michelin Star. Gerald worked his way up from dishwasher to Chef de Cuisine at the Westin St. Louis Cupples Station. He then went to work for Chef Lou Rook at the iconic St. Louis restaurant, Annie Gunn’s. Inside the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, Gerald worked under Chef Fabrzio Schenardi learning the “Italian Hand” at Cielo restaurant.
Gerald’s path then took him to the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore to open Chef Michal Mina’s award winning, Wit and Wisdom. There he worked under Chef Clayton Miller. Gerald was tapped to open PBG at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando in 2014 where he honed his skills working over live fire and rotisserie. Gerald next made his way to Southwest Florida to take the helm of Ario Steakhouse at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, where he created Ario’s signature dry aged beef program. During his time at the JW, Gerald also lead the team at Tesoro, a modern Mediterranean restaurant in the resort’s first exclusive adult only tower.
In 2016, Chef Gerald was chosen to be one of eight “rookie “contestants on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 14, “Rookies vs. Veterans” filmed in Charleston, South Carolina. Gerald was invited to the eponymous James Beard House to headline his own dinner in 2017. 2020 brought Chef Gerald back to Central Florida where he became the opening chef at Knife & Spoon inside the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes (A John Tesar Restaurant).
Gerald is currently the Executive Chef with the private club industry leader, Troon. In addition to being on Top Chef, Gerald had been featured on the season one of Food Network’s “The Globe” and was invited to participate in Guy Fieri’s “Tournament of Champions” season five. Gerald has been a contributing writer with Food & Wine Magazine, as well as “Cooking From Our Roots” cookbook. Gerald has been featured at Aspen Food & Wine, Pebble Beach, SXSW, Charleston Food & Wine in addition to several food festivals across the nation. Gerald is also a level two WSET Sommelier.
Images from the Event
Photos by Juliana Pesavento
