Meet Local Culinary Legend Gary Comella

Two decades is a lifetime for a chef to work in any single commercial kitchen. Yet Gary Comella, 61, has been the executive chef at The University Club on Benefit Street since 1994. The Providence native – a summa cum laude graduate in culinary arts from Johnson & Wales before working in upscale hotel restaurants in Boston, Dallas, Hawaii and Los An- geles – once believed he would never return home.

Why did you return to Providence?
"I was working very long hours as a chef in Los Angeles when my wife Elyse, an East Side native, became pregnant. I sensed we needed family nearby."

Why such a long tenure with one venue?
"Initially, I thought I’d open my own restaurant, but the people who hired me compensated me pretty well. This was a good way to stay responsible... with a family."

Do you focus on shopping local?
"I think I was among the first to shop at Four Town Farm [in Seekonk, MA]. I’ve remained true to them, although I also visit other farms,” says Gary, who chooses the best products available within his budget, regardless of where they come from. For obscure or exotic foodstuffs, he recommends Sid Wainer’s in New Bedford, MA, and Amazon.

Favorite Providence restaurants?
Gary and his wife like Red Stripe, which is near their home. In venturing off the East Side, Gary loves Al Forno, Bacaro and Gracie’s, adding, “I hold these chefs in high regard. Birch is another place I want to check out.”

Your preference: Savory or sweet?
“Savory, for sure. I am not a dessert eater.”

Your last meal?
Gary doesn’t hesitate: “The best burger that could ever be made. The completeness of a perfectly done burger satisfies me in so many ways. I don’t eat them anymore because they’re a vice [for me], but if I overate, I’d overeat burgers.”

Any regrets?
Although he wonders if he would have made it on his own as a restaurateur, he has no regrets, as “the club has taken good care of me and continues to do so.” With a “do-over,” he would have done things differently, he says, such as working for a top chef at a restaurant not affiliated with a hotel. “It’s not always about money,” Gary says, “but about learning and honing the craft.”