INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Greg Alauzen, Owner and Chef, LeoGreta
LeoGreta
301 West Main Street, Carnegie;
412.489.6382, leogreta.com
On the Menu:
Authentic Italian fare is on the menu,
beginning with a White Bean Dip or
Burrata (rich cheese made from a mix of
mozzarella and cream) and fresh tossed
salads including Arugula & Radicchio and
Frisee & Lardon (with bacon, creamy herb
dressing and a fried egg), then sandwich-
es (or Sandos) served with house-pickled
veggies, including a slow-cooked Italian
Beef and oven-roasted Mortadella and
a light Tuna Salad with capers. There are
fresh-made pasta dishes, from Gnocchi
baked with white and red sauce, Asiago
and Reggiano, to Cavatelli & Sausage
featuring a house-made sausage, rapini,
garlic, extra virgin olive oil and pecorino.
Desserts are also house-made specialties
ranging from Chocolate Praline Pot de
Crème and Coconut Cream Pie to Butter-
milk Panna Cotta with local raw honey
and served with an Amaretto cookie. For
wine and spirits there’s beer by the bottle,
wine by the glass or bottle, and after-din-
ner drinks.
Q A
Describe LeoGreta.
We are a simple and clean
Italian food restaurant in a
comfortable and quaint setting.
What led you to becoming a chef?
I’ve always liked cooking. As a little kid, I would
cook at home with my mom and grandmother.
Then, as a teenager I got a job at Fatigati’s, a
restaurant in South Fayette. I graduated in
1987 from the Culinary Institute of America
in NYC with an associate degree. While in
New York, I worked for some of the industry’s
best (including Charlie Palmer) and opened
my own restaurant in New Jersey with a friend
from culinary school. When my father became
ill in 1996, I came back home. Since moving
back, I have been the executive chef in some of
Pittsburgh’s finest dining restaurants including
the Steelhead Grill, Eleven, and Cioppino. On
April 3, 2018, I opened my own restaurant,
LeoGreta.
How did you decide on the
name LeoGreta?
When thinking of a name for the restaurant,
this wasn’t on my radar. After visiting my
parents’ gravesite and tossing around names, it
came to me. My father’s name is Leon and my
mother’s name is Greta. I dropped the “n” from
Leon because it flowed better. I’m classically
French trained, but grew up around cooking
pasta and eating it—and LeoGreta sounded
more Italian, which I like.
Who has influenced your
cooking the most?
My mom and dad got me into cooking. But, Ivo
Fatigati encouraged me to go to culinary school
and gave me my start.
Greg Alauzen, Owner and Chef of LeoGreta.
What is your favorite dish at LeoGreta?
Our baked gnocchi. It’s a big hit with
customers. It’s light and fluffy—not like lead
sinkers.
How do you decide on the menu?
I wanted simple, clean, and fresh food. Our
menu is small, but I wanted to have dishes that
we could focus on, that stand out, rather than
food that is forgettable. We make scratch pastas
and sauces and know our customers like that.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
Breaded chicken or pasta with a red sauce. I’ll
make it from scratch.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
Fresh garlic.
What kitchen tool can’t you live without?
I have a hand-cranked machine that makes
Cavatelli pasta. I couldn’t do without that.
Other than LeoGreta, where’s your
favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh?
A lot of places are closed on Mondays and
that’s when I can have time to eat on my off day.
When I get a chance, I like to eat sushi.
What advice can you share
with a novice?
Find a good restaurant to work in and work
hard there. Then, learn all you can and keep on
working hard at your craft.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
Going back to simple and clean eating—and
not real high-end. A place where people
aren’t on their phones, yet spending time and
enjoying the company they’re with. n
—Reese Randall
Chicken Parmesan and House
Cavatelli in red sauce.
8
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