Dante Boccuzzi | CEO, Chef Executive Officer

CEO, Chef Executive Officer
The Dante Dining Group

The opening of his signature DANTE in the popular Tremont section of Cleveland in January 2010 won instantaneous rave reviews.

All of this from someone who at the age of 14, while going to high school, began his culinary training working in local Cleveland restaurants. In 1991, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began his career at Charlie Palmer’s New York acclaimed restaurant, Aureole. Boccuzzi spent three years in Europe working in Italy, France, and England, learning techniques in award-winning restaurants such as London’s L’Escargot, the famed Les Muscadin in Mougins France and the Michelin three-star Gualtiero Marchesi in Brescia, Italy. Boccuzzi also spent time in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan in his pursuit to explore influential culinary traditions from around the world.

In 1997, Boccuzzi returned to the states to head Silks at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco. His three year tenure at Silks resulted in two James Beard nominations for Rising Star Chef of the Year in 1998 and 1999. Following this endeavor, Boccuzzi moved to Milan, Italy to become the executive chef at Nobu/Milan, working directly with Nobu Matsuhisa and Giorgio Armani at the Armani flagship establishment.

In 2002, Boccuzzi returned to Aureole as executive chef, where he was selected by Star Chefs as one of their first Rising Stars. Under his leadership, Aureole earned its first Michelin star in 2006.

Boccuzzi’s culinary career has come full circle, returning him to his home state of Ohio where he opened DANTE in 2007, moving the location to the hot restaurant row in Cleveland’s Tremont section in 2010. His dreams continue to become a reality with the opening of Ginko in 2011, a New York Times acclaimed sushi restaurant located in Tremont, featuring a traditional style sushi and a modern Japanese cuisine. In 2012,Dante opened his Akron restaurant DBA—Dante Boccuzzi Akron—combining his musical and culinary talents to add a flare of rock n’ roll to his coveted modern American style cuisine. In November of 2012, Chef Dante was nominated by Robb Report magazine for The Next Generation Culinary Master Competition. The competition was made up of five individuals chosen by Culinary
Masters from around the Country.

In April of 2014, Dante Next Door opened. The restaurant features traditional Italian cuisine based on Dante’s travels throughout Italy.

Dante had the fun opportunity to be a contestant on Guys Grocery Games. The show featured fellow James Beard nominees and aired in season 4.

In October 2015 Dante opened Coda, a live music venue, featuring small plates, local beer and local, national, and international musical acts.

In April 2016, Dante’s Inferno opened in Progressive Field home of the Cleveland Indians. Inferno serves hand crafted pizza.

Also April 2016, Dante and his partners opened Northside Speakeasy a craft cocktail bar located in the Marriot Courtyard Hotel.

September 2017, marks the opening of the second location of Dante’s Inferno. This full scale casual Italian restaurant is located on the East Bank of the Flats near downtown Cleveland. The menu features home-made pasta dishes and hand crafted pizzas.

July 2021 kicked off an exciting summer! Goma by Dante opened on Cleveland’s East 4th. Goma is the Japanese word for sesame seeds, yet another restaurant inspired by time spent in Asia and working for Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Goma is located in the heart of downtown Cleveland across from the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

May 2023 marks the first time Dante opened a restaurant on the East side of Cleveland.

Dukes N Boots is a country music bar located in downtown Willoughby. Dukes N Boots features an all American fried chicken menu served in a Nashville bar setting.

2023 has just begun, and there will be more to come.

danteboccuzzi.com/

Dante Boccuzzi