Timothy Giznsky is Opus One's Executive Chef.

Giznsky, 42, a resident of Brownstown Township, has been with Opus One since its opening in the summer of 1987. Before his appointment as executive chef in late 1994, he served as executive sous chef and working chef.

Opus One's James C. Kokas first hired Chef Tim as sous chef for Dearborn's Chambertin in the mid-'80s. Then, when the development team was formed to open the downtown Detroit restaurant, Tim was an integral part of it. Since that time, he has worked quietly and effectively behind the scenes to help make Opus One the success it has become. Tim has been directly responsible for preparing some 300,000 meals in the first seven years of operation.

Giznsky grew up in the Monroe area and has been cooking since the age of 17 when he got a job running the kitchen of a local bar/diner. After high school graduation, when most kids are unsure of their future, Tim saw the kitchen as a natural place to continue. He attended Monroe Community College, then went to Rhode Island's prestigious Johnson & Wales College where he earned his culinary arts degree.

He lists the Monroe Golf and Country Club, Toledo's Sheraton Westgate Hotel and the Sylvania (Ohio) Country Club as early job locations.

While at the Chambertin, he helped then-general manager/co-owner Jim Kokas develop a series of Winemaker Dinners, which were applauded for effectively teaming foods with a list of wines.

Giznsky's areas of specialization have been his sauces and his soups. An example of the latter, Opus One's Corn Clam Chowder, was singled out in 1993 by Detroit Monthly Magazine as the best soup served in the area.

Of particular interest to Giznsky is using the highest quality ingredients and paying consistent attention to detail to "produce food that looks great and tastes even better."

Kokas notes that Tim has consistently impressed him through the years as "an enthusiastic individual who seems to have a natural sensitivity toward the importance of special requests customers make."

Giznsky likes to hunt wild turkey and deer in the wilds of upper Michigan. He lives with his wife Jane and daughter Alyse.