Paul Bertolli was born in 1954 in San Rafael, California, to parents of Italian descent.[1] He rose to prominence in the gourmet food world at Chez Panisse in nearby Berkeley, California, working from 1982 to 1992.[2] He eventually became executive chef and co-authoring Chez Panisse Cooking with restaurant founder Alice Waters. He was later the executive chef of the Oliveto restaurant in Oakland, California, until mid-2005.[3]
He is most known for producing handcrafted ingredients like balsamic vinegar and salumi (cured-pork products such as salami and prosciutto). He opened a food supplier, Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi, in March 2006 ('Fra Mani' is derived from the Italian for 'between or among hands'; and conveys the message 'from our hands to yours').[3] In 2003, he also authored, Cooking by Hand: A Cookbook.[4][5][6]
