Sanford D'Amato Graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1974, and stayed on for a one year fellowship in the Escoffier Room. He then worked in various New York City restaurants throughout the 70's. In 1980, he returned home to Milwaukee's John Byron's Restaurant where he received national attention in 1985 Food and Wine magazine as one of the top 25 "Hot New Chefs", and touted as "One of the finest seafood chefs in the country" in 1998 Bon Appetit feature article. In 1988, he was selected as one of 12 national finalists in the American Culinary Gold Cup, Bocuse D'or. He also competed in the 1988 and 1989 American Seafood Challenge and received one of two gold medals awarded in 1989  and took third place overall.



 In December of 1989, Sanford and his wife Angela opened Sanford Restaurant in the former site of his father and grandfathers grocery store.  It has since received accolades locally and nationally in Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Wine Spectator 1990 - 1999 Award of Excellence, Milwaukee Magazine, Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Esquire magazine as one of 1990's best new restaurants. In November of 1992, Sanford was one of 12 chefs in the nation to be personally chosen by Julia Child to cook for her 80th Birthday Celebration in her hometown Boston. Sanford has made television appearances on feature programs such as Dining Around on The TV Food Network, Great Chefs/Great Cities, PBS Julia Child Special, America's Rising Star Chefs and Always in Good Taste with Willard Romantini. 

In 1994, Sanford Restaurant was awarded the Fine Dining Hall of Fame award by Nation's Restaurant News and the DiRONA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award and are 1995 recipients of the Ivy Award from Restaurants and Institutions Magazine. Sanford has also consistently received the AAA - Four Diamond Award and the Four-Star award from Mobil Travel Guide. After being nominated for six consecutive years by the James Beard Foundation, Sanford won the Perrier Jouet Best Chef Midwest award in April of 1996. In February of 1999, Sanford and Angela opened their second restaurant, Coquette Cafe, in the Historic Third Ward in Milwaukee.