He gave up lawyering to command one of Gainesville’s most beloved restaurants. Here, Chef Andy Fass shares one of the recipes that has won over locals and luminaries.

by Barbara Drake

Chef: Andy Fass, a master of Italian cooking, a double Gator (Class of ’98 and Law ’01) and a member of the Gator Marching Band for the 1996 National Championship

Raised in Hollywood, Florida, Andy Fass earned a bachelor’s in political science from UF and a juris doctorate from the Levin College of Law before settling down to what he loves most: cooking. After studying at the New England Culinary Institute, where he trained in la cucina italiana, Fass worked as a chef at Italian restaurants in New Orleans and Asheville before returning to Gainesville in 2007 to take over Amelia’s Restaurant, by the Hippodrome Theatre.

With its longstanding tradition of serving classic Italian food, Amelia’s (established in 1985) was the perfect fit for Fass. In the 13 years since he bought the restaurant, Fass has tweaked its menu to feature seasonal items from local growers and fishermen – fresh chanterelles, grouper, Cedar Key clams – earning a TripAdvisor 2020 Travelers’ Choice Award for his eatery’s stellar food and “lovely, relaxing atmosphere.”

Among the celebrities who have feasted at Amelia’s are Joaquin Phoenix, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Vince Gilligan (creator of “Breaking Bad”), as well as Steve Spurrier and countless Gator athletes and coaches.

But one celebrity diner stands out. Carol Burnett, who dined at Amelia’s before speaking at the Phillips Center in August 2009, was “humble and down to earth” and treated Fass and his staff like she was a regular, he said.

“I remember she had chicken marsala and commented how delicious it was, but I don’t remember much else,” Fass admitted. “I was a little star-struck.”

Regulars, though, are the heart and soul of his business, Fass said, whether they come for weekly dinners, first dates or special events. Diners celebrating a birthday can enjoy an unusual treat: Chef’s rendition of “Happy Birthday” played on his trusty alto sax, which he stores in the hallway (not in the pantry with the pasta flour and porcini mushrooms).

“I was a member of the Pride of the Sunshine for the 1996 National Championship,” he said, recalling the historic season when Spurrier and quarterback Danny Wuerffel led the Gators to victory in New Orleans over No. 1-ranked Florida State.

Given that Amelia’s has been around for 35 years, alumni often seek out his restaurant when they return to Gainesville for football games or milestone events.

“I’m elated we have a special place in their hearts,” said Fass. “We’ve had several UF parents who had their own graduation dinners at Amelia’s and are now having their kids’ graduation dinners here. It’s amazing!”