At a Glance
- Valentino Luchin, 54, former executive chef of Rose Pistola, is accused of three San Francisco bank robberies and one attempted robbery in Orinda
- Prosecutors say he netted roughly $2,800 during the September 2025 spree
- He remains jailed on a $200,000 bond and has pleaded not guilty
- Why it matters: The case marks Luchin’s second bank-robbery prosecution after a 2018 conviction tied to financial ruin following his restaurant’s closure
A former Bay Area chef is back behind bars, this time on federal charges, after investigators linked him to a string of bank robberies across San Francisco and Contra Costa County. Valentino Luchin, 54, once ran the celebrated North Beach restaurant Rose Pistola; now he faces four felony counts alleging “great violence” and “callousness.”
The January 7 Orinda Attempt
At 10:56 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, Orinda police responded to a Citibank alarm for an “armed male suspect.” According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the man fled with “some cash” after passing a demand note. Witness descriptions and surveillance footage allowed Lafayette detectives to identify Luchin within hours.
Deputies served a search warrant at his Lafayette home and arrested him on one count of robbery. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on $100,000 bail.
The September 2025 San Francisco Spree
Federal prosecutors say Luchin executed three robberies-or attempted robberies-on the same day in September 2025:
- Chinatown branch: successful, undisclosed sum
- North Beach branch: successful, undisclosed sum
- Central District branch: failed, no cash taken
The combined haul was roughly $2,800. Each time, Luchin allegedly slid a note to tellers demanding money. In one incident, a frightened employee handed over a bag of cash described by prosecutors as having “great monetary value.”
Court Proceedings
Luchin was arrested in September 2025 and has pleaded not guilty. A judge set bond at $200,000; he remains in custody. Trial was initially scheduled for Nov. 21.
Court records cited by the San Francisco Chronicle show the four felony charges include findings of “great violence” or actions displaying “cruelty, viciousness or callousness.”
Prior Conviction
This is not Luchin’s first prosecution for bank robbery. In 2018 he pleaded no contest to second-degree robbery after taking more than $15,000 from a Citibank in Orinda. He received one year in county jail and three years of probation.
Following that conviction, Luchin told ABC7 that financial desperation after the 2016 closure of his Walnut Creek restaurant, Ottavio, drove him to crime. San Francisco Eater later reported that Luchin and his wife had defaulted on a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan, leaving them more than $110,000 in debt.
Mental Health Bid
Luchin’s public defender is now seeking a mental-health diversion that would include substance-abuse treatment. A hearing on the request is set for next week.
Prosecutors stress that the charges remain allegations and the case is ongoing.
