Paul Bartolotta

The Climb

Precision shows up early in this career: at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Paul Bartolotta laid down the technical base that would carry the rest of the work. The apprenticeship at John Marangelli until 1980 was the next practical step, the sort of kitchen training that turns theory into habit. In Italy, at Ristorante San Domenico in Imola, the title Chef di Cucina placed him inside a serious Mediterranean kitchen; later, as head chef at San Domenico NY in New York City, New York from 1988, that same discipline moved with him into a new room and a new market. Spiaggia in Chicago is where that discipline became visible at scale. From 1991–2000 as head chef and from 1993–2000 as managing partner, Bartolotta was responsible not only for the food but for the restaurant’s shape and standing in the city. The same logic followed him to Las Vegas, where he conceptualized, developed, and ran the Italian restaurant at BARTOLOTTA, Ristorante di Mare in Wynn Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada from 2004–2015. Across those posts, the through line is consistent: seafood handled with rigor, polish applied without overstatement, and a kitchen point of view built around clarity.

Today

At The Bartolotta Restaurants in Milwaukee, Paul Bartolotta remains identified with a style that favors control over flourish. As co-founder and chef of the group, he has kept the work centered on disciplined execution rather than trend-chasing. He says so plainly: “I am curious about molecular gastronomy but not interested enough to change the way I cook and view food.” In trade terms, that reads as a settled position on method—interested in the conversation, committed to his own line. The sourcing follows the same logic. Seafood is treated as a live product to be moved with speed and intention, not as an afterthought to technique. Bartolotta’s own description makes the point directly: freshness, immediacy, and product quality are the core variables. The cooking stays in service to that standard, with the ingredient kept at the center and the handling kept clean.

In Their Words “I’m known for sourcing and overnighting the freshest seafood from the Mediterranean, what I like to call my Italian-speaking fish, like my live langoustines that flock in my tanks until they are summoned for the pleasure of my guests.” “I am curious about molecular gastronomy but not interested enough to change the way I cook and view food.”

Recognition

Paul's honors include James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southwest (2009), James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Midwest (1994), and Insegna del Ristorante Italiano del Mondo (1997).