John Gambino (far left) and the Genuwine's Fine Dining team.
Photos courtesy of John Gambino
Whether you’re dining at a community standby like Omezzo Italian Restaurant or exploring newer establishments such as Teriyaki Madness and All India Cafe, there is no shortage of options in Pickerington.
The local culinary scene offers an array of cuisine in a proximity that can’t be beat. In fact, the close-knit community and growing food industry is what brought one restaurateur home to Pickerington.
Genuwine’s Vintage Dining is a newer restaurant, but John Gambino, owner and chef, is no stranger to the area.
Originally from New York, and now Pickerington-based as a chef and restaurant owner, Gambino grew up experiencing good food. His father was a banker and cashier in the city, and some of Gambino’s fondest memories include experiencing New York fine dining with his father.
“I grew up when servers still wore the tuxedos and vests and they put the napkin in your lap after snapping it in your ear nearly making you deaf,” Gambino says. “I feel like quality of service is becoming a lost art.”
Gambino used his time in New York to learn about different dishes and how to create the perfect dining experience from service to the overall dining room design. Though he worked in sports and leisure with teams including the Yankees, Mets, Giants and Rangers and it served as inspiration in his future endeavors, New York wasn’t the cheapest place to live in the world.
“I was commuting back and forth from Long Island to the city. The commute and traffic was a lot,” Gambino says. “I realized I was paying $1,000 a month for electricity alone and that it was time to get the heck out of New York.”
So Gambino packed his family up and moved west to Pickerington, Ohio in 1993. He would go on to open a restaurant, Little Romas, in 2001, and the restaurant remained a part of the community for three years before closing its doors.
However, Gambino didn’t let the closing of his restaurant discourage him from pursuing work in the food industry. He quickly became a staple at events for The Ohio State University, getting a job as head chef at the University Suite in Ohio Stadium. He cooked meals for former university President Gordon Gee, entertaining countless foreign ambassadors and many of OSU’s sports teams.
“I fed the best damn band in the land, the football teams, Blue Jackets and cheerleaders,” Gambino says. “It was an amazing experience.”
After his children grew up and moved out, Gambino and his wife moved to Boston and lived there in 2015 and 2016.
When Gambino and his wife, Lucy, received word from Ohio that their daughter had just gotten engaged, they piled in the car and drove back home to celebrate.
“We jumped in the car with our two dogs and drove back to Ohio like two little kids all excited to go home and celebrate,” Gambino says.
The celebration was cut short as a health scare landed Gambino in the hospital shortly after he returned home to Ohio. He soon found himself fighting for his life.
“One minute my doctor says I’m fine and just need to heal and the next minute they’re realizing there is a much larger problem and they need to fix it immediately,” Gambino says.
During this time, Lucy asked her husband if there was anything left unchecked on his bucket list.
“I told her I couldn’t think of anything, really,” Gambino says. “I had already married the most beautiful girl in the world, raised beautiful children, I’d done it all. But she kept prompting me, and then I told her I always wanted to open a gourmet restaurant.”
While Gambino spent July and August recovering in the hospital that year, his wife began inquiring with banks and property owners to help make her husband’s dream come true.
“It’s all about pacing. Even with our servers, having a conversation, engaging with the table makes it all the more worthwhile." - Gambino
When Gambino got out of the hospital, his wife mentioned that the Wine Guy Bistro had closed and he should call and inquire about the building.
“Little did I know, my wife had started it all,” Gambino says.
On Feb. 22, Gambino’s dream of opening a gourmet restaurant became a reality as Genuwine’s opened its doors to the Pickerington community. Described as a casual fine dining restaurant, the establishment was mainly designed and built by Gambino, his family and friends.
“We want to give you a fine dining experience without having to dress up and play the part,” says Gambino’s daughter, Christina. “We want to re-engage the vintage way of dining.”
Every recipe on the menu was created by someone in the Gambino family, and some recipes can even be traced back to Gambino’s grandmother and her old Sicilian way of cooking. Genuwine’s seeks to both reestablish the style of vintage dining and encourage an engaging environment similar to that of Gambino family gatherings.
“We come from an Italian family where you sit around the table and spend hours laughing and talking,” says Christina.
Genuwine’s slows down the experience of dining out in its vintage dining room. Upon sitting down, guests are given a granita pallet cleanser. From there, customers can order their bread service, salad and entrées, all of which are made right in front of the table.
“It’s all about pacing,” Gambino says. “Even with our servers, having a conversation, engaging with the table makes it all the more worthwhile.”
Genuwine’s is a combination of experience and nostalgia. From the selection of dishes, to the service and overall experience, it’s a culmination of everything Gambino has learned throughout his time living and working in New York, Boston and Pickerington.
“People can’t believe what I’m doing, after everything I have been through,” Gamino says. “They say I’m crazy, but hey, you know what, you only have one shot at this.”
Rocco Falleti is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at rfalleti@cityscenecolumbus.com.