3115 PICO BOULEVARD SANTA MONICA, CA 90405	LAS VEGAS, NV	14928 VENTURA BOULEVARD SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91403

Valentino now has an exciting new chef, "Stefano Samson". Stefano was born to an Italian mother and an American father, and raised in the San Fernando Valley. At a young age, Stefano began his knowledge of cooking from his mother, a skill that has been passed down from generation to generation.

At the age of 18, he spent a year at the University of Venice, Ca'Foscari, where he studied Italian history and culture in a special program. Stefano continued his education at the University of California at San Diego, earning a Bachelor of Arts, History and Literature degree. He then went on to Columbia University, where he spent three years in the pre-medical program, only to find that cooking was his passion, and enrolled in Peter Kemp's New York Cooking School.

After completing culinary school in 1997 as a Blue Ribbon Graduate and working several jobs in New York City, Piero came across his talent and sent him to Italy. From October 1997 to February 1998, Stefano worked as an extern line cook, at the 2 Star Michelin Cascinale Nuovo, with Chef Walter Ferretto, learning traditional and modern Piemontese cuisine. From March 1998 to August 1998, he worked at the prestigious 3 Star Michelin restaurant, "Dal Pescatore" in Canneto Sul'Oglio with Nadia Santini, considered today, one of the best chefs in all of Italy, there he worked as a line cook as well as coordinated events for large foreign groups. Continuing his instruction, October to December of 1998, Stefano worked at Agata e Romeo and Antonello Colonna restaurants in Rome.

Returning to the states in January of 1999, Stefano spent 6 months as the sous chef at VALENTINO Santa Monica preparing for the opening of VALENTINO Las Vegas. On August 1, 1999 Stefano opened VALENTINO Las Vegas as Chef de Cuisine, under Executive chef Luciano Pellegrini.

The Website http://www.pieroselvaggio.com/