Chef Valentina “Val” Garcia Montaño and Dr. Michael Stanley Gallisdorfer are two parts of one whole. Together they deliver a kind of soul food for the spirit at Cucina Restaurant at The Richardson Hotel. Chef Val’s creative touch is matched by Michael’s words, telling the story of Buffalo today… through dinner.
Focusing on food alone forgets the secret essence of dinner, social gathering and storytelling, defining our lives with each other. The heart of each dish Chef Val creates is the story of her life, the land, and the lived experience of cultures within her.
Classical Italian roots – the root of the hearty, nourishing flavor of home – are the beginning of each dish. Add to this the heat, spice, and space of Argentina – where Chef Val hails from, and we see the roots of a truly unique, Pan American cuisine emerging here, in Buffalo.
On the floor, entertaining guests, Michael delivers an experience uniquely uplifting. Dinner is about more than food, it’s about feeling good. About life, each other, and the moments we share together. The heart of hospitality is really about expressing love for people, for our city, and for the world in the context time and table setting, the dance and interplay of words and plates that makes dinner a work of art.
Cucina Restaurant @ The Richardson Hotel | 444 Forest Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14213 | (716) 493-2620 | Menus