by Evan S. Benn

Why he's Food 50: He's following in his father's footsteps and keeping alive the Valentino tradition of serving some of the best and freshest Italian food around. Giovanni Rocchio had an attachment to Italian kitchens from a young age.

His father, Tony, opened Valentino in Plantation in 1974, and young Giovanni showed an early interest in the restaurant's fresh ingredients and time-honored recipes. He left to train and work in New York and Italy, returning in 2006 to open a new Valentino, his own, near downtown Fort Lauderdale.

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Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/