New Orleans - November 15, 1991 was the official opening of Café Giovanni in New Orleans' French Quarter featuring Chef Duke LoCicero's New World Italian Cuisine. Chef Duke had already been on the job for two months developing the menu, hiring staff, overseeing the installation of equipment and getting the restaurant ready for the critical New Orleans' diner. Chef Duke, fresh from The Brownstone in Houston, realized the tremendous opportunity he had in reviving and recreating New Orleans Italian dishes and Creole favorites. Now Chef Duke and Café Giovanni continue to deliver award winning cuisine to locals and tourists alike who appreciate Chef Duke's creative approach to pairing wines with his menu, developing sauces to compliment his dishes and fashioning dishes that recreate his Italian heritage and New Orleans roots. Café Giovanni is permeated with Chef Duke's love and respect for food and flavors. He never stops learning about new flavors, dishes and ingredients. His skill at developing sauces and dishes that create layers of flavors for the palate have won him awards and respect the world over. He has cooked for presidents, kings and prime ministers.

Chef Duke Travels to Italy

2001's trip to Italy resulted in his having to scramble for ingredients as his stock of supplies got held in customs. So, speaking little Italian but with lots of pointing, hand gestures and the kind assistance from local shop keepers, he got the necessary substitutes to create a memorable dinner for an international travel group that had come specifically to taste his New World Italian Cuisine and New Orleans fare. Chef Duke said what really made the trip and cooking event special was the graciousness and helpfulness of everyone who did their best to figure out ingredients were needed by this American chef.

In his 18 years at Cafe' Giovanni, Owner and Chef Duke LoCicero has been bringing worldwide attention to New Orleans Cuisine. Born and raised in New Orleans, "Chef Duke" has been a part of the restaurant scene since he was thirteen. At eighteen he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After his apprenticeship he worked throughout the United States, gaining experience with a variety of cuisine's that have undoubtedly influenced the blend of flavors that characterize Chef Duke's creations at Cafe' Giovanni. The Sea Ketch in New Jersey, The Brownstone in Houston, Joey's in Baton Rouge, and the Royal Orleans were just a few of his ports of call. While at the Brownstone, Chef Duke was appointed Executive Chef for the private parties at the "Houston Economic Summit", here he prepared dinner for President George Bush, Prime Minister Thatcher, President Mitterand, and others.

By combining fresh ingredients with American, French, Italian, Creole styles, and other international flavors, all of which contributed to the success of the Summit. Chef Duke creates "New World Italian Cuisine" which he presents in a unique artistic style. Chef Duke has won numerous awards including  Louisiana Restaurant Association's 2004 Restaurateur of the Year, the prestigious Taster's Choice Award for Best Chef in 2002, Top Chef 2000 award from 1992 through 1996, and Cafe' Giovanni was chosen as one of the top six restaurants of 1991 by New Orleans Magazine. In addition to Chef Duke's award as "Master Taster", he also was awarded third place in the "Visitors Choice Award" as one of the restaurants most preferred by visitors to New Orleans, "First Place, Taste of Elegance Award" from America's Pork Producers, and "First Place, Celebrity Cook-off" at Lakeside Shopping Center. Chef Duke recently prepared the "Dinner to the Czars" for the "Palaces of Saint Petersburg Exhibit" in Jackson, Mississippi. Presently Chef Duke serves as the President of the Upper Decatur Street Association, showing his commitment to the community, and the neighborhood as well. Since September of 1997 Cafe' Giovanni has undergone expansion that accommodates 150 guests, doubling the restaurant's seating capacity. In 2004 Chef Duke opened a portion of the restaurant space as Belli Baci Louinge so now you have two great places in one. The food, drink and atmosphere is all here at Cafe Giovanni. That would be enough for most people but Chef Duke is also a popular radio personality on his provocative New Orleans talk radio show Dig In with Chef Duke and his brother Rock on WWWL 1350 AM. Duke's quick wit and gift for entertaining has brought him celebrity status in New Orleans with the US and the World next on the list. Chef Duke is considered an entertainment and culinary trend setter in New Orleans and soon the World.