Sarah Grueneberg
Spiaggia Executive Chef, Sarah Grueneberg developed a love for the culinary arts as a small child spending much of her time cooking and baking with her grandparents in Houston, Texas. Her passion for exploring flavors and new cuisines grew from her German heritage as she made sausage, cinnamon rolls and wild berry pies and opened up her first restaurant under the bleachers of her fourth grade school.
Gruenberg joined the award-winning team at Spiaggia in September of 2005 as a line cook, which afforded her the opportunity to immerse herself in Italian food, culture, and products. She spent time in Italy in early 2009 cooking in the heralded kitchens of Il San Lorenzo and Grano in Rome and Del Pescatore, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Canneto Sull'Oglio, where Tony Mantuano worked prior to opening Spiaggia in 1984. Working closely with Tony Mantuano and team at Spiaggia, Gruenberg was quickly promoted to Purchasing Sous Chef and finally to Executive Chef in 2008.
Prior to Spiaggia, Gruenberg joined Brennan's of Houston working under Chef Randy Evans, where she began working garde manger and quickly became the restaurant's youngest female sous chef at the age of 22 in 2003. While at Brennan's, she was exposed to the epitome of Southern hospitality and to a well-rounded Texas Creole menu featuring locally sourced meats and fresh farm produce. Gruenberg attended the Art Institute of Houston and attained her Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts in 2001.
