Trip Advisor Review: "Great New Restaurant."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Chef announced at The Bank Food and Drink

Pearisburg, VA (June 2009)   After four years of great food in Pearisburg, VA, the chefs of The Bank Food and Drink are off to Houston, Texas. Cunninghame West accepted the Executive Chef position over two new restaurants in the Derek Hotel at the Galleria. After running a small restaurant with a very limited staff, this new opportunity will have Cunninghame managing over 70 team members.

Linda and Lynn Hayes, the owners of the building located at the corner of Main and Wenonah in downtown Pearisburg, are pleased to announce Giovanni Guarini and Nancy Jurek as the new chef/operators of The Bank Food and Drink.  Giles County residents, living in Newport, Giovanni and Nancy plan to reopen the restaurant within the next few weeks.

Prior to moving to America in 2006, Giovanni lived in Tuscany, Italy, where he owned a successful restaurant and a wine bar, worked as wine and food consultant, and taught Italian cooking classes in an international cooking school in Florence. His gourmet roots hail from Puglia, south Italy, were he was born and where the Mediterranean diet is the traditional way of eating.  In the past few years Giovanni has taught cooking classes in Blacksburg; he is the head chef for The Fresh Palate, and has been operating Sage Catering with his wife.  Nancy, Giovanni's wife, conducted a thriving catering operation in Blacksburg before going to Italy to attend professional culinary school in Florence. After that, she lived in Florence for four years where she continued her studies of wine, food, and Italian culture. Nancy specializes in breads, desserts, and international cuisine. Giovanni's specialties include bread, fresh pasta, sauces, and cheese.  They work only with wholesome, organic and local ingredients in order to obtain optimum flavor, nutrition, and earth sustainable practices.