Glenn “Gus” Gerson doesn’t consider himself a classically trained chef.
The owner and culinary force behind Gusto Osteria, a petite Italian restaurant tucked in the Colonia Verde Plaza Shopping Center on Tucson’s east side, insists he’s just a guy who likes to cook.
“I am just a guy (who) has a restaurant where I have taken inspiration and direction from people I’ve known and worked with — probably most importantly Joe Scordato — and I have made a go of it,” says Gerson, who has helmed this neighborhood draw since 2011.
Yet, the Navy veteran with the strong handshake has the restaurant business in his blood, having worked at a bakery, an IHOP, a Bobby McGee’s Conglomeration, and other food haunts over nearly 20 years in the industry.
Scordato hired Gerson as a lunch server at the beloved Scordato’s on Broadway in the 1980s. “First, second and third thing you see is his passion,” Gerson recalls. “The thing I most admired was he never settled for OK … had to be the best.”
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It’s the same passion Gerson has infused into his own restaurant, Gusto Osteria, which got its name through a combination of Internet research and a niece who hung out at a place with the same name while studying in Italy. “Really!” Gerson confirms. It also plays up the nickname of its owner.
With walls covered in works by local artists and a dining room efficiently overseen by manager Anthony McCumber, Gusto has become a popular spot for Italian dishes such as pork ricotta and farfalle Bolognese, and a welcomed glass of wine after a long day.
You don’t consider yourself a chef; how would you describe yourself?
I’m not a classically trained chef and have great respect for a few that I’ve worked for in other places. I like to cook and know the importance of maintaining the product so that is where I expend most of my energy.
What dish gives you the most joy in cooking?
I probably most enjoy braised meat dishes, where you braise the meat, like a lamb shank and you build a sauce and let it stew for hours.
How did you go about choosing your location?
We were shooting for a neighborhood, family-owned place where folks could stop in for a quick bite or take out, get a glass of wine while they wait and a quality sit-down, casual restaurant where people would enjoy the food. Did we always like the location? Not really, but it’s grown on us and we’ve made it work.
Is there a key or technique to epic Italian food?
I’m not the one to ask … I’m just a guy at work practicing.
Do you ever feel the pull to branch out and open more Gustos around town?
We love the east side. Always have. Got our hands full right now, but will keep you posted.
Tara Kirkpatrick is a Tucson-based freelance writer.
