Commentary by Shelly Gattlieb

Zach Tursi inherited a passion and appreciation for cooking from both of his grandmothers and was able to develop his skills even further while attending Warren Central High School. The culinary program taught him about the elements of menu planning, ordering and paperwork.

By combining his creative side with applied business principles, Tursi has thrived and now runs Vivante French Eatery at Hotel Carmichael. As a “mad scientist in the kitchen,” Zach prefers to avoid repetition while incorporating as many local fresh ingredients as possible.

Functioning in the form of organized chaos, his artistic vision from his tattoo apprenticeship transferred easily to his plating presentation and balance of textures and colors. He lives with his wife, Nena, a general manager and sommelier, two dogs and two cats.

Met Nena: On Tinder

Fluent in: English and Italian

Enjoys: Spray painting, drawing and acrylic painting traditional tattoo styles

Favorite tattoo: “Chef life, chop chop” across his knuckles

Fascinations: Serial killers, true crime stories

Who would play him in a movie: Zach Galifianakis

Ultimate concert goal: Taylor Swift

Best date night with Nena: Picasso exhibit at art museum

Misses: Playing tic-tac-toe with his grandmother

Friends would describe him as: the spooky kid, loves Halloween and was married on Halloween

Idols: Marco Pierre White and Anthony Bordain

If he could be any animal: Elephant for great memory

Favorite singer: Ville Valo from Finnish rock band HIM

Biggest regret: Not pursuing an opportunity at Madison Square Garden

Weird things he owns: Ouija board table, human teeth, taxidermy ducks

Do you know an interesting character who lives, works or worships in Carmel? Send suggestions to [email protected]