Guest Chef Thomas Litrenta
of AgrodolceBio
Thomas, whose family hails from Napoli and Calabria, was raised in an Italian-American household where his great grandmother taught him to cook using local, fresh, organic ingredients. His first lesson was how to make sauce and pasta from scratch for Sunday family dinners. He quickly learned mealtime was for sharing good food with family and friends - and no one left the table hungry. His Northwest upbringing gave him a love for seafood, as his Father was an avid fisherman and there was always fresh fish for dinner.
Thomas continues the legacy of his great grandmother at Agrodolce, creating house-made sauces and pasta, many with house-milled flour, and Southern Italian specialties. Over his 26-year professional cooking career, he served as Agrodolce’s executive chef, before becoming chef-owner, sous chef at the acclaimed Westward, executive chef at Ernest Loves Agnes, and sous chef at Szmania’s in Magnolia. Italian through and through, Thomas prides himself on the importance of family and the integral and vital connection to the local community. He sources Agrodolce’s ingredients from small family farms and believes the highest quality ingredients create simple, flavorful cuisine. It’s his natural hospitality that makes Thomas a consummate host, honing his skills in the kitchen and sharing his love of food with guests and friends.