Can tiramisu and a daughter’s love get a former caterer to the stars through tough times?
By NITA LELYVELD, CITY BEAT COLUMNIST
SEP. 21, 2019
If you think of life as a meal served in courses, Giovanni Bolla has been handed plate after plate piled high.
Back in the days of beef Wellington and baked Alaska, Bolla was a caterer to stars — offering “the ultimate in haute cuisine” by appointment in Beverly Hills.
He was known for his fettuccine with caviar, his pheasant paté and his grand buffets, decorated with sculptures made of butter and ice.
Success once bought Bolla a house in the western Hollywood Hills, perched high on Hercules Drive on Mount Olympus.
But then came heartbreak and hardship and wrong turns.
“I got really lost,” says this very warm, slightly rumpled man, who once was at home incrisply pressed black tie.
Now at 71, he manages to hold on to his tiny Encino studio — at $1,400 a month — only because his landlord has the heart to accept what he can pay, sometimes $1,200, sometimes $1,100... READ FULL STORY - The Los Angeles Times
Formerly homeless chef finds new life making and delivering tiramisu
Chef Giovanni Bolla once catered to Hollywood's elite, but after the death of his first wife and daughter, he lost everything, including his home. Now, he's spreading hope during the coronavirus pandemic by delivering his signature tiramisu. Farrah Fazal reports.
Former Caterer-to-the-Stars Giovanni Bolla Remerges with a Deliciously Decadent Tiramisu
On any given morning, you’ll find Giovanni Bolla in his daughter Isabelle’s Encino kitchen. He moves swiftly and deliberately, rarely breaking his focus—almost like a pharmacist mixing lifesaving drugs. But the 71-year-old is making a dessert, albeit one that may have saved his life.
Giovanni’s Tiramisu is not your average overly sweet, runny version. His creation is a fluffy, flavorful concoction with—and herein lies the distinction—the perfect consistency. It is firm, with the perfect ratio of cake to pudding. “Everything must be done correctly. Nothing is rushed,” Giovanni shares in his heavy Italian accent. He is oblivious to visitors as he dips the ladyfingers in coffee, layers them in a rectangular cake pan, carefully spoons on the egg/mascarpone mixture, and pipes on a pretty design with a pastry bag before topping it off with cocoa powder.
“Yes, there is a secret ingredient,” he chuckles, “but I won’t tell you what it is.” Giovanni is smiling a lot these days after some tumultuous times, which included a few weeks when he was homeless. At one time, though—and he really wants you to know this—he was on top. Giovanni, you see, used to be a caterer to the stars, tossing elegant soirees for Hollywood A-listers ranging from Rod Stewart to Ella Fitzgerald… continue reading.
How Does One Taste Love? In a Tiramisu
I’ve eaten dozens of tiramisu slices. Not just because I’m a food blogger and it’s my job, but because I am a second-generation Italian who loves tiramisu.
Traditionally, tiramisu is savoiardi (aka ladyfingers, for the non-Italian speakers) dipped in coffee. These soaked-through sponges are layered among a whipped cream made of eggs, sugar, cocoa, and mascarpone. Some cakes are laced with rum or cognac for a little extra kick.
And right now there is a beautiful tiramisu, sitting on the table in front of me. Silky clouds of cocoa-dusted mascarpone have been meticulously piped across hidden ladyfingers. The baker has generously sprinkled more cocoa over the top.
I haven’t eaten this particular tiramisu yet, but I already know it’s going to be the perfect pick-me-up to get me through my afternoon. Also, for the uninitiated: Tiramisu, named for the way people usually feel when they’re eating it, means “pick-me-up” or “cheer-me-up” in Italian…. continue reading.