Meet the Chef
In October of 2015, Nina’s Ristorante was purchased by its executive chef, Vito Parisi. Chef Parisi is a native of Molfetta, Italy and received his culinary training at the Scuola Alberghiera Hotel Parco degli Aranci, Foggia, Italy. He then moved to Germany and became the executive chef for Taverna Romana and Restaurant Rathskeller. During his time there, he received the “Copper Pan Award” and was voted one of the country's top Italian chefs.
While on vacation to North Carolina, Vito met Chef Gennaro Villella of the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill and was offered the position as his sous chef. After seven years with the Siena Hotel, Vito accepted a sous chef position at the renowned Washington Duke Inn on the campus of Duke University, where he worked for three years. Chef Parisi found his home at Nina’s Ristorante in 2010. Chef Parisi continues to maintain Nina’s traditional Italian menu, while focusing on more contemporary cuisine for the modern foodie in his nightly specials. Come and enjoy a beautiful Italian meal with your friends and family tonight. Nina’s Ristorante has something for everyone!
Storia di Nina
After opening a four-star restaurant in New York called Da Nina's in 1987, Nina and Chris Psarros opened Nina's Ristorante to the ever-growing Raleigh area September 1999 to an overwhelming and highly praised reception that hasn't stopped. The restaurant provides the area with traditional and modern Tuscan cuisine that is heavy on flavor and light on the ingredients. The exclusive Italian wine list allows them to further the education of Italian wine and its grape varietals while offering something new and wonderful for their guests to experience.
A sincere commitment to service the guest is the corner stone of their operating philosophy. At Nina's Ristorante, the entire staff remains dedicated to taking care of their guest. For opening night they had the following quote printed on the top of each menu, which serves as a reminder for every night they are open: