The Founders Golf Club

Executive Chef
941-371-7359

Chef Marini was born and raised in a small village on the southern coast of Tuscany called Monte Argentario, which is a beautiful peninsula with rocky shores covered by olive trees. The main resources in his town are fishing and tourism, and he was naturally inclined towards the second. He started working in kitchens at 14 years of age, during the high school breaks for summer and holidays, and was lucky enough to be influenced by a few great older chefs who taught him the basics of Italian and International cuisine.

Unfortunately the tourism business was extremely seasonal, and restaurant workers always had to look into moving out of town for the winter following career opportunity. That is how he landed in Sarasota, where a childhood friend was living and working. He was fascinated by the beauty of the area and by the vibrant restaurant scene, full of career opportunity for a young and ambitious cook, he realized that his passion and his “old world” skills were finally put to work.

After being in Sarasota for a while he met the girl that became his wife, and that’s when he knew that his traveling adventure was coming to an end.

He had the opportunity, in his ten years in town, to accumulate experience in high volume as well as fine dining establishments, beach seafood shacks and white glove service restaurants, but he remained true to his integrity and to the concept of client respect that was taught him at such an early age.

For the last four years he was rendering my services to the Longboat Key Club as Chef de Cuisine in Sands Pointe Restaurant, the finest restaurant on property, until he had the chance to visit The Founders Club, and I was impressed by the elegance and beauty of the property. He is also very excited to be part of  the development of the food and beverage department, and confident that we can create the magnificent club our members will be proud to belong to.