Chef Nicola (Nick) Cinquegranna’s family immigrated to the USA shortly before World War One and brought with them the culinary traditions of Firenze (Florence), the capital of the Italian region of Tuscany. These family recipes and traditions were passed-on to Nick as well as those of his Swiss and German relatives.
In the US Navy junior officers are not supposed to have part-time jobs, but without the benefit of military family housing near Boston, the household income had to be “augmented” and Nick started his restaurant experience by bussing tables at one of Boston’s most exclusive restaurants. There his cooking talents were quickly noticed and he rapidly advanced to Chef de Partie, then Sous-chef, and ultimately becoming shift Chef de Cuisine. After his disability retirement from the Navy Nick was Executive Chef at two of the yacht clubs he belonged to on the West Coast.
Nick also proved himself a successful serial entrepreneur who launched and harvested a number of technology-based small businesses in Massachusetts, California, Montana, and most recently, Indiana. Yet Nick’s love of good food and wine is irresistible and the most recent venture, co-founded with his wife Dr. Martina Barnas, is MNB Global, Inc (Chef Nick’s parent company) that is also an importer and distributor of premium boutique wines from Central Europe, mostly from the Slovak Republic.
Today, Chef Nick is evangelizing the idea that every day family meals and weekend BBQ’s can be culinary mini-vacations to exotic places using wholesome fresh ingredients and not breaking either the household budget or the “cooks butt”.