Open and become a part owner in a restaurant in Italy? Sure, why not?
That’s exactly what happened several years ago when chef Jeremiah
Tower and I decided to try our hand at operating a ristorante
in a small hill town in Umbria, Italy. What no one tells you before
you arrive to attempt such an endeavor are the hoops you must jump
through, and the circus-type feats you must attempt to get the
necessary licenses and permits to start a business in Italy as a
foreigner. Madonna! It was like trying to squeeze olive oil
out of Cararra marble. Endless meetings with lawyers, police chiefs,
and building inspectors and we still didn’t have the necessary permits
and documentation to operate a business.
It all started in 2003 while on a three week trip to southern France and Italy. Italian friends told us about a small restaurant where the owner of the property (a small hotel along with the restaurant) was looking for a chef to become a part owner in the restaurant. Ristorante Carleni was located in Amelia, a small hill town in Umbria not too far from the well-known town of Todi, and relatively close to the A1 auto route. The A1 connects Rome to Florence and is heavily traveled. We looked at the restaurant and were intrigued. We initially thought that we might operate it on a seasonal basis opening in the spring and closing in the fall. We went back to try it out in the spring of 2004. After much effort and hand wringing we both decided that there were far too many roadblocks and difficulties, and opted not to proceed with the project. But this post isn’t really about the restaurant, it’s about beans.
Who says you can’t go home again? I just did and am here to testify that though it was a bit strange, it was more than wonderful to return to the place I lived in 41 years ago. Planning my recent trip back east where I would be staying with family and two of my oldest and dearest girlfriends, I decided to start off my trip by staying in a hotel for a few nights. After checking the rates in our two favorite New York hotels, The Regency and The Surrey and catching my breath I decided to look at a few other options.
What do I look for in a travel experience? The answer is simple: culture, nature,
world-class shopping + food and the best nightlife, parties + events I can find. Sometimes in one day! Like many world-class cities London offers diversity, and my trip there this past fall provides a great example of how I was able to combine my favorite vacation pastimes.
To understand the food in Richmond you must have a quick lesson on demographics and history. Don’t worry, it’s quick. Richmond began to see many immigrants from Hong Kong and throughout Asia after World War II, with a great number flowing in during the 1990s. Currently, Richmond is 65% Asian, 49% of those are Chinese. You’ll find other Asian cultures as well, particularly Southeast Asian as well as a mix of other cultures from all over the world. But this predominately Chinese makeup means restaurants, stores, shops and markets all cater to an Asian population, and visiting and eating is pure heaven for a guy like me.
Anchorage, Alaska has some of the best restaurants in the world.
Especially if you like salmon. Years ago, I spent a summer in
Anchorage-it was the Exxon Valdez trial, and it went on for months. I
remember some things about the trial. I remember everything about the
dinners, which isn't particularly remarkable, as I had the exact same
thing-in different restaurants-every night (except for this one place
where I always ordered venison).