Suzette Gresham was hired to work as head chef at The Donatello, a hotel in San Francisco, California, by front of house manager Giancarlo Paterlini in 1988.

The hiring caused some surprise on her first day at the hotel, as the kitchen staff presumed that since she was female, that she was in fact the pastry chef.

They left in 1989 to open Acquarello in the Nob Hill area of the city, with Gresham again as head chef, and Paterlini running the front of house.

[3] Gresham ensured that there was a training environment in her kitchen, going as far as to assign additional homework to her staff on externships.

[7][10] The Sorella’s culinary team includes the chef de cuisine, Denise St. Onge; and support from Seth Turiansky and Suzette Gresham.