Troy Graves – Gamba Ristorante
The former owners of the Venezia Bar & Grill and Café Venezia, Benito and Hilda Gamba, have combined their efforts into the Gamba Ristorante. Located in Merrillville, this restaurant is housed in an architectural masterpiece, which is hard to miss with its circular design and copper roof. Modeled after upscale restaurants in exotic European locations, the menu offers classic Italian cuisine. The wine room boasts storage space for 1,000 bottles. A banquet hall holds up to 200 people and looks out onto an open courtyard.
Gamba is represented by Baconfest Chicago Veteran and Golden Rasher Award winner Troy Graves. A son of the American Midwest and veteran of the first Gulf War, Chef Graves learned to take pride in doing a job with efficiency, exactness and most importantly pride. Under the tutelage of Kent Buell, Chef Graves developed a reverence for simple food, delighting his diners with contemporary, yet classically refined cuisine. As patrons, critics, and industry taste-makers will attest, Graves’ culinary philosophy and humble spirit creates an atmosphere, where guests can expect composed, imaginative, and wonderfully delicious dishes with an eye towards elegance and sophistication.