New Chef Takes Charge at Bloomfield Township Andiamo

Travis Waynick took over executive chef duties at the Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse in Bloomfield Township a few months months ago, and if you haven't noticed the difference, that's a good thing.

"People have come to Andiamo for years for the high-quality food and it'd be foolish for me to change that," Waynick said recently while taking a rare break to sit tableside in the restaurant's revamped interior. 

"I've tried to keep the traditions of the old-style Italian meals that Chef Aldo (Ottaviani) built as the foundation here over the years."

Despite his experience as corporate chef with Matt Prentice Group, that isn't always as easy as it sounds since Waynick had no formal training cooking Italian food. But the 35-year-old Commerce resident said that's also part of the daily challenge that keeps his job exciting. 

Using his modern techniques and commitment to build meals from scratch, Waynick said he likes to meld the old with the new when it comes to the restaurant's daily features, which go well beyond steaks, and regularly appear on both the lunch and dinner menus. 

Jerry Vitale, the operating partner at Andiamo's Bloomfield Township location, said he knew about Waynick's talent and experience when he hired him, and that he's even impressed by the chef's unique creations.

"He's very creative," Vitale said. "The daily features are not repeats, there's always something new, and he's very passionate about his craft."

The keys to keeping the menu new, vibrant, and within budget Waynick said, are maximizing product utilization and finding the freshest and best local ingredients whenever possible. 

All three Joe Vicari Steakhouse locations feature steaks from the nation’s top butchers, Pat LaFrieda and Stockyard Premium. The meats endure the minimum 28-day aging method for top tenderness and flavor, and are graded in the 8% of all beef in the United States, officials said. The Steakhouse also features Strauss Lamb and Veal, the nation’s top producer of all natural, free-raised, hormone free meats.

In addition to the menu, Waynick is also responsible for managing the kitchen, all of the restaurant's banquet and catering engagements, and supervising more than a dozen staff members on a daily basis. He said he appreciates the responsibility, but at his core, he loves being in the kitchen, making food he knows people will appreciate.

"Give me a knife and I'll cut onions, any day," he said. 

Visit Andiamo and taste Chef Waynick's creations from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday; 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saurday; and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.