When you visit Il Tramonto Ristorante in Temecula Old Town, you’ll likely see a bearded man in chef’s attire with a very large cap on his head. Under the cap are dreadlocks that when let loose fall to his waist. Meet Chef Giampiero Giammanco. You can call him Giampi, or if you prefer, Chef G.
Whatever you call him, when you dine at Il Tramonto, you’ll taste the passion he pours into every plate. He credits his dad for his work ethic, and his insistence he use garlic, chili flakes and extra virgin olive oil. Born in Sicily, he worked in England for several years before moving to San Diego where he met his wife Lynn.
The two run the restaurant, with Giampi manning the kitchen and Lynn handling front of house and business operations. His dreadlocks are a result of his passion for reggae music. He considers himself a student of Rasta, and he begins each morning with espresso and reggae.
You can sense his Sicilian roots in everything he puts on the plate. His plating is truly artistic, and his food is almost too pretty to eat. Everything is fresh and house made where possible. He bakes bread, cookies and pastries daily. He gets angry when he sees other chefs cutting corners. His Tiramisu for example is made with whole eggs and mascarpone cheese. His blood boils when he sees other chefs leaving these ingredients out completely.
Il Tramonto will celebrate three years in business in the near future, and is open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner starting at 5PM. Lunch is served from noon to 3 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At of press time, they are accepting walk-ins only for patio dining due to COVID19 restrictions. The restaurant is located at 41925 5th Street in Temecula Old Town. You can call them at 951 699-7925.