Andre Ginekis Sr

The Path

France was the formative ground for Andre Ginekis Sr, and the discipline absorbed there remains visible in the way the kitchen is run. The work reads as deliberate and hands-on, shaped by small decisions rather than display. As owner and chef of Locanda Veneta, he carries that training into service directly, keeping the room and the pass tied to the same standard.

The Work Today

Today, the primary role is chef at Locanda Veneta in Los Angeles. Alongside the chef title, he is owner at Locanda Veneta, a dual responsibility that gives his work both its structure and its urgency. The menu language is built from ingredients rather than flourish. Fresh fish demands timing and precision; pasta depends on dough, shape, and repetition; wild game brings a deeper register to the line. In Andre Ginekis Sr’s hands, those elements define a kitchen that values clarity of execution and a steady sense of purpose. The task is not only to cook, but to keep the restaurant’s character intact through service. The pressures of the business are just as real as the work on the plate. “Until March 2020, we were doing about 15% better than last year for the same time. Then we went down 90% from our regular business. Now, with Patio Only, we're doing about 25% of our regular revenues.” The statement is plain and practical, and it puts the economics of restaurant work in the same frame as the cooking itself: output, conditions, and survival are bound together.

Signature

Andre's signature dishes include Veal Chop With Porcini Sauce and Tiramisú. One reads as a composed savory plate, the other as a familiar finish, and both fit the restaurant’s direct, disciplined style.

In Their Words “Until March 2020, we were doing about 15% better than last year for the same time. Then we went down 90% from our regular business. Now, with Patio Only, we're doing about 25% of our regular revenues.”