Executive Chef/Co-Founder & Owner

A Veneto native, Chef Andrea Giuliani has over 30 years of experience in kitchens throughout Italy and the Bay Area. In 2005 Giuliani made his journey to the United States ready to bring his passion for food and wine to California. His first job when he arrived was Executive Chef at Spiedo Restaurant in San Mateo where he unknowingly met his future business partner, Steven Ugur. The two became fast friends and gained a great deal of respect for one another’s specialties, Giuliani’s in the kitchen and Ugur’s in the dining room.

After two years at Spiedo, Chef Andrea moved on and headed to the heart of Silicon Valley where he led the kitchen at Piatti Restaurant in Santa Clara. During his five years at Piatti he acquired a great deal of knowledge about the business side of running a restaurant in America. He took what he learned and next applied it to his work at Piazza D’Angelo, a well known Italian restaurant in Marin County that has been around for more than 30 years. When Chef Andrea learned that Spiedo would be closing, he reconnected with Ugur and soon after a plan was hatched to turn the space into something fresh and vibrant – Pausa Bar & Cookery.

True to his Italian roots, but inspired by the bounty of Northern California, Giuliani is excited to bring his passion for cooking back to San Mateo. At Pausa, Chef Andrea is creating approachable Italian cuisine, elevated by fresh, high-quality ingredients and modern cooking techniques. But food is not his only passion, Italian wine is very much a part of Giuliani’s repertoire which is showcased in Pausa’s all Italian wine list.