Joseph Manzare, who grew up in the Bronx, NY, started out in the restaurant business at age 14. By 17, he was telling people he was getting ready to open his own place. A college degree in business intervened, but he soon returned to the kitchen. After 18 months in the kitchen at the Hilton in New York, he moved to Los Angeles to apprentice with Jean-Francois Mettigner at L?Orangerie. Manzare spent all his spare time working for free at Spago, where he came to the attention of Wolfgang Puck, who brought him on full-time. After two years at Spago, he traveled to Italy and spent ten months working at San Domenica in Imola. Returning to the States, he again joined with Wolfgang Puck to be opening Sous Chef at Postrio in San Francisco