Va de Vi translates to “It’s all about wine!” in Spain’s Catalan language. But at Walnut Creek, California’s Va De Vi Bistro and Wine Bar, it’s all about food, too!
Chef Michael Fischetti’s menu encourages diners to explore and share a variety of eclectic, international small plate portions. There are bold tastes that encourage diners to explore and pair with the large international wine list, easily navigated by tasting notes. Many wines are offered by the glass in addition to pre-arranged flights to allow diners to compare different wines and discover new favorites.
A warm, casual elegance defines the ambiance of the suburban San Francisco eatery. Outdoors, diner can eat under an ancient oak tree or grab a table in the picturesque lane.
As with many top chefs across the nation, it was family that drove his career ambition. “My parents worked a lot when I was younger, and my grandmother would watch my siblings and me,” Chef Mike Fischetti explained. “I was always in the kitchen helping her gather ingredients, prep all the stuff she didn’t want to, and carry anything she didn’t want to carry. She was the first executive chef I worked with who delegated a lot of grunt work to me…lol. I always loved being in the kitchen with her; she was very serious about feeding our family and instilled in me at an early age that the joy of feeding people was overwhelmingly gratifying. Cooking reminds me of gatherings with friends and family: grazing, chatting, laughing, and having a good time. I try to incorporate those same vibes into my work kitchen with my staff and guests who enjoy what we do!”
Chef Fischetti began his career in Florida. After graduating in 2006 from Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, he joined forces with Cindy Hutson at Ortanique in Coral Gables, working his way up from Line Cook to Sous Chef, and then on to Chef de Cuisine at Ortanique in Grand Cayman, which won the AAA 5-Star Diamond Award while he was at the helm.
He then returned to Miami where Fischetti served as Chef de Cuisine at Zest and Zest MRKT, a contemporary restaurant, offering an ethnically diverse, and seasonally driven culinary approach embracing global cuisine with nuances of island flavors.
While considering their next step, Chef Fischetti and his wife fondly remembered a trip they had taken to Napa, and realized the Bay Area would be a great fit for the both of them. With his wife aspiring to further her wine industry career, and Fischetti’s passion for fresh high-quality ingredients, they chose the East Bay as their new home in January 2018.
Chef Fischetti brings his unique culinary perspective and flavors to Va de Vi’s well-known international small plates concept. A key to Fischetti’s success has been his ability to build his culinary team and support their efforts with the highest quality ingrendients. “I chose to work with The Chefs’ Warehouse because every person who works with the company is super professional and helpful. In addition, the company truly has the best ingredients,” Chef Fischetti detailed. “The dish I am highlighting is our Shakshouka. We use Simply Red brand tomatoes and Calabrian chilis, and many different spices that we purchase from Chefs’ Warehouse to make the spiced tomato sauce. Simply red tomatoes are such a great product; I love that the tomatoes are local to California with the flavor of imported Italian DOP canned tomatoes. “
For Chef Mike Fischetti and Va de Vi, the recipe for success has been a commitment to consistent creative fare that keeps Norther California guest returning.
