Chef Michael Giai was born and raised amongst the lavender fields in Haute-Provence, France. After receiving his double masters in culinary arts and restaurant/hotel management at L’ecole Savoie Leman, he came to the United States and joined the culinary team at the Wheatleigh Hotel in The Berkshires. There he met his wife to be, Valerie. The couple wed in France and opened Restaurant Nouer, a small bistrot-de-pays, in Puimichel. They loved taking world cuisine and reinventing these foods using French techniques, while focusing on fresh, local products to complement their menu. The restaurant was recognized by Bistrots de Pays for 5 consecutive years and was award Restaurant de Qualité by the association of Alain Ducasse. After 8 years together in France, Chef Michael moved with his family to Ireland, where they furthered their culinary journey, learning all they could about local products and traditional recipes. In the 2019, they returned to the United States, settling in Valerie’s home state of Connecticut. It was then Chef Michael joined the culinary team at Artisan West Hartford, a true farm-to-table dining concept highlighting New England inspired American cuisine. With his signature style, Chef Michael leads the culinary team as Executive Chef in West Hartford and continues to be an active member of the Disciples of Escoffier.