Justin Severino
UPCOMING EVENTS
RESTAURANT
HOMETOWN
Pittsburgh, PA
Justin Severino is the owner of Salty Pork Bits, a Pittsburgh- based charcuterie company shipping product nationwide. He is also the chef and co-owner of Morcilla, a neighborhood Spanish restaurant spot serving pintxos and family-style dishes in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Severino, a four-time James Beard Foundation award nominee for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic and a 2015 and 2014 winner of FOOD & WINE The People’s Best New Chef Mid-Atlantic, is a skilled whole animal butcher who brings an extensive charcuterie program and flavors of an Italian-American upbringing to his menu.
Cure, Severino’s first restaurant, opened in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh in December 2011. In 2015, Pittsburgh Magazine name Severino Chef of the Year. In 2012, Cure was named one of the Top 50 Best New Restaurants by Bon Appétit magazine and one of the 25 Best Restaurants in Pittsburgh Magazine. Morcilla opened in December 2015 just a few blocks away from its older sibling, bringing Spanish-style charcuteria and traditional pintxos to the neighborhood. Since opening, Morcilla has been chosen by Pittsburgh Magazine as their 2016 Best New Restaurant, Bon Appetit ranked it number four in the country in their prestigious annual Best New Restaurants issue, and it was nominated for a 2016 James Beard Foundation in the national Best New Restaurants category. Severino launched Salty Pork Bits in summer 2018.
Prior to opening Cure and Morcilla, Severino was the executive chef of Elements Cuisine and sous chef to Derek Stevens at Eleven Restaurant in Pittsburgh. From 2005 to 2007, Severino co-owned and operated Severino’s Community Butcher in Santa Cruz, CA with Cure and Morcilla co-owner and director of operations Hilary Prescott Severino. Before opening the butcher shop, he worked for several renowned restaurants and chefs, including Manresa with David Kinch, The Big Sur Bakery with Phillip Wojtowicz and Michelle Rizzolo, Bouche and L'Auberge Carmel with Walter Manzke, and Bernardus Lodge with Cal Stamenov. Severino is a 1999 graduate of Pennsylvania Culinary Institute.