Triad of North Carolina is the home of another quality restauranteur that has owned, operated and developed a magnitude of restaurants in High Point, Clemmons and Winston Salem. The chef, already blessed with three incredibly successful establishments, Fratelli’s Italian Steakhouse in Winston Salem and Sammy G’s Tavern in High Point and Three Bulls American Steakhouse in Clemmons. There is no doubt that anything established by Sammy Gianopoulos will be successful like his others as he knows what the customer craves when it comes to quality cuisine.

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Co-Owner and Executive Chef Sammy is a creative and energetic restaurateur. Sammy has been in the business since the age of twelve where he first started washing dishes and later moved up the kitchen ranks. He credits his dad Terry Gianopoulos, having 50 years of experience owning and operating restaurants, for giving him the incredible opportunity to learn all aspects of creating a successful restaurant. Sammy attended the prestigious Johnson and Wales Culinary School. After school he was lead chef at the beautiful Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Carolina. He then moved back home to Winston-Salem and became executive chef at the then popular Louie Blue’s Seafood Grill at the age of 20. With an incredible culinary education and years of hands-on experience, Sammy created his first restaurant Gianno’s in October of 2000.

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Sammy had the desire to bring gourmet pizza to High Point when he first opened Gianno’s. As Gianno’s success grew, he felt it was time to expand to an upscale dining experience with Aquaria Seafood Grill which opened for business in 2004, also in High Point. The creative chef and businessman then expanded his talents one year later into downtown High Point to cater to the ever-popular International Furniture Market patrons. He opened The Factory by Sammy G as a restaurant/catering company in a beautiful and spacious space located in Market Square, right in the middle of all the Furniture market activities.

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Sammy was awarded the 2007 High Point Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year, 2021 Nominee of the IFMA Silver Plate Award for Independent Restaurant/ Multi-Unit Concepts, a member of the High Point Rotary Club 2005 to 2010, co-chairmen of United Way Dine Out Day 2006 to 2010, non-profit board member of the Boys and Girls Club 2004 to 2009, board member of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina and Providence Culinary Training and Restaurant 2018 to present, a board member of Isurity Workers Compensation Insurance company 2005 to present and Committee Member of IFMA Small/Midsize Chain 2019 to present.

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After a few years away from Winston Salem, where he was born and raised and graduated from RJ Reynolds High School in 1997, he wanted to return home and be closer to friends and family. He quickly wanted to do business in his hometown and grow his success closer to home. He restructured his companies and decided to sell his first locations Giannos and Aquaria Seafood Grill, and partnered with Johnny Pappas to open Sammy G’s Tavern & oSoTavern in High Point, oSo Eats & Fratelli’s Italian Steakhouse in Winston Salem and 2520 Tavern & Three Bulls American Steakhouse in Clemmons, as well help develop a dozen of successful restaurant across the state. He also is currently a shareholder in ZorAbility (a franchise system coaching and investment firm) and My Frii franchise system where he oversees the culinary innovation and menu mix as the Director of Culinary and R&D.

He is highly active at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox church where he spends a lot of his time and expertise in the kitchen as well as a co-chairman for the annual Greek Festival, Sunday School teacher and President of the Parrish Council. He has been married to Yiota for 19 years and has a 15-year-old daughter Roxanne in the 9th grade.