Hello friends and fans! News is already out that Chef Chad White will be moving on from the Rocket to open a new restaurant in Point Loma soon. But we wanted to give you the official scoop right here, and because I’ve been writing so many blogs lately, I’m just going to use the press release that our publicist Brook Larios created for us recently. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, January 31st to bid Chad adieu (though we’ll be seeing him plenty afterwards as he’s not going too far!) and congratulate Tommy on his promotion.
Tommy Fraioli has been promoted to executive chef of Sea Rocket Bistro, a San Diego-based restaurant that supports local growers and fishers, in addition to ranchers that raise their animals responsibly and humanely. Fraioli, who began cooking professionally at the age of 18, comes from a large, multi-generational Italian family that spent weekends in the kitchen cooking together. At the age of seven, he joined his dad in the kitchen.
Fraioli has been executive chef/partner Chad White’s trusted sous chef since April 2011, when White joined the Sea Rocket team. Prior to his tenure at Sea Rocket, Fraioli was sous chef and kitchen manager at Bing Crosby’s in Mission Valley, where he quickly climbed the ranks during his five months in the kitchen before its closure. He will headline with White at ChefDance, the Sundance Film Festival’s premier culinary event, in two weeks.
“I’m the shy, quiet guy at Sea Rocket that, until now, has stayed out of the spotlight,” said Fraioli, who says the wheels in his head are madly turning as he begins contemplating new menu concepts for the coming months. “Cooking has been my passion — my drive — as long as I can remember, and doing it at Sea Rocket Bistro, with owners who share my food philosophy, is an honor. I love serving people the type of food they’ll long be talking about.”
News of Fraioli’s promotion comes on the heels of White’s Jan. 11 announcement that he will leave his post as executive chef next month, retaining partnership status at Sea Rocket, while co-creating with Fraioli the vanguard menus for which Sea Rocket has become known. In February, he will also move into his new position as executive chef and partner at Gabardine, part of the Enlightened Hospitality Group, helmed by Brian Malarkey and James Brennan. Gabardine is slated to open in February.
“There’s absolutely no way I’d leave my post as executive chef of Sea Rocket if I didn’t have full faith in Tommy’s abilities,” said White who, as co-owner, is invested in the restaurant’s success. “I haven’t been cooking at Sea Rocket for months — only overseeing the kitchen’s operations. Tommy is the guy behind the scenes, turning out the food for which we’ve become known. People will be amazed at what he will continue to do.”
Fraioli undoubtedly has some big shoes to fill, but his have been sharing space with White’s for nine months. As those familiar with the restaurant industry know, chefs spend an average of 12 to 16 hours together in the kitchen each day. The quality and integrity of Sea Rocket’s food will remain top-notch as the little restaurant with a lot of heart continues to be the go-to for the freshest seafood in town.
