On Linguini and Letting Go

Kimberly Lord Stewart

Chef Frank Bonanno and his wife Jacqueline stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their staff to help them be the best at what they do. That energy, passion and commitment to something greater shines through in every one of their unique Bonanno Concepts’ restaurants. We asked Chef Bonanno about his reputation as a mentor in the Denver food community, among other things.

Jacqueline and Frank Bonanno PHOTO: COURTESY BONANNO CONCEPTS

AvidLifestyle: You have a long history of influence in the Denver dining scene, including training employees who have gone on to open their own restaurants. It’s a lot like parenting. How do you feel about your restaurants serving as a spawning ground for future talent?

Frank Bonanno: We’ve had the joy of seeing more than 30 people move directly from general manager or executive chef positions to open restaurants of their own. It’s more like coaching than parenting, and I’m really proud that we’ve developed a culture of innovation and leadership that motivates future restaurateurs. Bonanno restaurants have inspired an entire culinary scene in Denver and the West. How cool is that?

AL: Owning restaurants is much more than making good food and providing an inviting experience. Your restaurant group was the first to get your teams vaccinated during the pandemic, create a tipping pool and pay competitive wages. What do you think makes a good restaurateur? What changes would you like to see in your profession as a whole?

FB: A good business leader is part of the community—the work community, the neighborhood, the city, the industry. I’m always looking for ways to grow my community, and I think the best thing that could happen to the restaurant community in the next five years would be to keep
the outdoor-dining scapes that truly integrated our businesses and our neighborhoods, to remove tipping and take some of the lobbying teeth away from chain restaurants.

AL: The challenges of owning restaurants have never been greater as food service transitions to this new normal of a post-pandemic crisis. Have the hallmarks of good food and service changed as a result?

FB: People are dining out to be delighted. We’ve been literally pouring onto the streets to commune over food and wine, to find ways to laugh and toast, even when it seemed dangerous or hopeless. It’s OK to laugh out loud in public. No, it’s crucial. Dining isn’t stuffy, it isn’t slow, it isn’t serious. It’s joy and celebration. It’s life.

AL: Since the holidays are approaching, what family traditions will you hold dear this year?

FB: My sons are both at college this year, and when they’re home, I aim to feed them. Their friends will drift over for a house that smells like bacon in the morning and bread baking on Wednesday afternoons, and we’ll play the board games that we all got really good at these past two years. When it’s snowing, though, it’s the middle-of-the-night linguine, simple and delicious. Luca finds me chopping garlic in the dark, and he gets the water going. Marco, all messy in his pajamas, grabs the bowls and sets the counter for four. Jacqueline’s always last to this celebration in the winter kitchen, stepping over the dog to pour the wine and light the candle.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Recent global events put a lot of strain on restaurant staff. Always looking for ways to improve the lives of their staff, Bonanno Concepts hired a wellness director to assist staff with mental-health challenges associated with their jobs and stressors of life. Qiana Torres Flores, licensed professional counselor, leads free and confidential group sessions, mediates conflicts and is available for one-on-one sessions for the restaurant group’s 400 employees.