Wilson Costa
A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wilson came to America in 1986. He began at Neuilly-Sur-Seine in Long Island, then the Manhattan Bistro in Soho. Attracted by the happening food scene upstate, Wilson came to the Hudson Valley in 2001. Since 2005, he has led the kitchens of Gigi Hudson Valley, sharing his refined style, knowledge of world cuisine and passion for Mediterranean cooking with our treasured guests and friends.
“Why do people like the food at Gigi’s? It’s fresh, fresh, fresh - plus, tasty and plain old good for you. At Gigi market, farmers come in all day long, bringing me great ingredients right from their fields. I think this is the best way to cook. It’s all so simple. You aren’t masking anything. If we have fresh tomatoes, I’ll just add a sprinkle of good salt, fresh pepper, good olive oil, and let the food stand out. No need to cover it up."
Michael Williams
Michael has been with Gigi HV for seven years and joined our team at the ripe old age of seventeen! He’s a native of Claremont, NY and has worked at Gigi Trattoria under Chef Wilson Costa, learning each area of the Trattoria kitchen. “Gigi is the kind of restaurant I would like someday. The food tastes so good and it’s a lot healthier than you find in most restaurants. I always think of it as the kind of food I’d want to feed my family or serve my mom. People come to Gigi for that reason. In the kitchen I’m part of a team with great camaraderie, and that reflects Wilson’s personality and leadership. In my opinion, he’s a wonderful chef and mentor - always trying new things and insisting on the best products.”
Erik Rothman
Erik comes to us from the Patina Restaurant Group in New York City where he worked for 17 years. He was most recently the Director of the Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera House. He oversaw the service and standards of the elegant restaurant for opera goers, Met Opera board members and fund raisers. He executed the Met Opera galas, cast parties as well as special events for special projects. While at the Met, Erik spent 8 seasons hiring and training all Front of the House employees at the upscale Aces and other restaurants at the US Open at the Tennis Center. He also acted as consulting director at both the Roof Terrace at the Kennedy Center as well as the Petrie Court Café at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after their renovations offering service training for new and existing employees. His leadership and experience in providing hospitable and professional service is a great asset in providing Gigi guests with the dining experience they expect and deserve.
Selina LaVista
Selina has a bachelors degree from the CIA where she specialized in baking and restaurant management. Immediately following graduation, she was offered a job on campus as the café coordinator and she managed the café operations at the CIA for two years. She joined Gigi shortly afterward as the Gigi Trattoria manager. According to Selina “ My goal is to stay true to the spirit of a trattoria, which means that we should always strive to be a comfortable, welcoming place where guests feel cared for and can have a great meal with family and friends.”
Jacqueline Caddick
Our catering team is also directed by Jacqueline Caddick who Erik has brought on as the Catering Manager. Jackie comes from running her own catering company in England with clients such as Jaguar, Range Rover, Barclays Bank, The City Council, Chelsea, Fulham and Liverpool Football Clubs to name a few. Before that, she produced many fashion shoots as a stylist putting together large productions. With Jackie’s diverse experience and keen eye on presentation we are excited for the future.
Tommy "TJ" Eades
Tommy went to culinary school in Washington DC, and did an externship at the Watergate Hotel, followed by stints in high-end restaurants in DC. He moved to Hudson Valley in 2000, and has been keeping the stoves warm at Gigi Hudson Valley since 2010.
"I think good food should nourish you and give you strength. That's something Laura and I agree on. Like her, I think about health and wellness a lot. Recently on a trip to Costa Rica, I visited a botanical garden that focused on plants and foods from those plants which can help heal you of illness. That stuck in my mind. Imagine herbal and natural remedies without side effects. Whole, natural foods eaten in the right amounts will help you stay healthy, happy, and add to your enjoyment of life."
Steve Foley
We’re so excited that Steve Foley has returned to Gigi as the Catering Chef with his incredible organizational skills and his ability to achieve superb “restaurant” quality in large events as well as small. After Culinary School, Steve worked in Vero Beach, Fl. However, the Hudson Valley beckoned and Foley has remained here ever since. He has cooked at Red Devon and run catering for Wild Hive. Foley oversaw Gigi Market and the catering for Gigi Hudson Valley for four years and we’re thrilled to welcome him back.
Peggy Curik
Peggy is a native to Germantown. She is considered family here since she has been with Gigi since the very beginning. She is an active member of the NSA (National Society of Accountants) and is currently working on her ABA with NSA. Peggy has more than 25 years experience in bookkeeping and accounting for small to mid size businesses with a focus on sales and profit analysis, with special interest in auditing and forensic accounting.
To learn more about the Gigi team members, click here.
