Everyone loves a rags to riches story, and when it involves a remarkably gracious and generous person, that tale is all the more enjoyable. That’s the narrative of Piero Selvaggio, an Italian emigrant born in Sicily in 1946 who changed the image of Italian wine and food in the United States in various ways, most prominently with his iconic Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica, California.

Wine-Searcher recently spoke with Selvaggio about his incredible adventure over the last five-plus decades, covering a number of topics, from assembling a mind-boggling wine list to his favorite pairings of Italian food and wine to his latest project that will take him around the world.