It turns out that you can go home again; at least Jonathan Steenerson did. The original chef at Ciao Bella when that salad, pasta and pizza restaurant opened in November 2001, next to Kroger in Mendenhall Commons, Steenerson is back as executive chef of the Ciao Bella that moved a few blocks west in November 2007 to the Erin Way Shopping Center and much larger digs.
Ciao Bella executive chef Jonathan Steenerson, a veteran of area restaurants including Erling Jensen, Ronnie Grisanti’s and Automatic Slims, returned to the East Memphis eatery this year.
(Photo: Lance Murphey)
The first Ciao Bella was a partnership between the beguilingly named Lance Foody and his cousin-by-marriage
Paul Tashie. When I reviewed Ciao Bella, I asserted that it was about time that Memphians could sit down to a large shared salad, a pizza and a couple of glasses of wine – not in a chain restaurant – and get out the door for about $35. Prego, readers, those were different days, and 10 years later, that same shared salad, pizza and a couple of glasses of wine at Ciao Bella Italian Grill could cost all of – $45.
Foody left the restaurant business in 2005, and the Tashie family regrouped as sole owners, before moving their establishment to its more expansive space, former quarters of Lulu Grille, and an ambitious menu that included not only their salads, pastas and pizzas but dishes from the Tashie’s Greek heritage and a complement of chicken, fish and meat entrees.
Meanwhile, Steenerson, 32, had cooked in various places, as you will see in the following interview, and was hired in March to be not only executive chef of Ciao Bella and Carmela’s Café, the next-door lunch place, but to take on many of the duties of running the restaurant.
Q: You were named executive chef for Ciao Bella and Carmela’s Café about four months ago. What does the title mean in terms of duties?
A: I’m in charge of all menus, all ordering, teaching and coaching the staff, guest relations, publicity, really every aspect of the restaurant.
Q: That sounds more like general manager than just executive chef.
A: Well, I’m not general manager, but I’m absorbing some of those roles. The title of GM has not been bestowed. The owners have an active role but are trying to take some responsibility off them.
Q: What was the original Ciao Bella like when it opened and you were chef?
A: It was small and cozy, a place for pizza, pasta and salads, a nice bottle or glass of wine. Family-owned and family-oriented.
Q: While the “new” Ciao Bella is more ambitious.
A: Not a doubt. The menu offers more here, in addition to what was offered at the original restaurant, but the restaurant is larger too. There’s some Greek food from old family recipes. There’s a whole different level of appetizers and entrees, chicken, veal seafood.
Q: Does the menu changes a lot?
A: No, but we have fun with a list of 4 to 6 nightly specials, which is also a challenge, and with using a lot of local produce and meat.
Q: A big difference between the old and new Ciao Bella is that the second location has a full bar.
A: Yes, that’s one of our challenges too, getting the bar more integrated into the make-up of the restaurant. We’re starting a bar menu with small plates. We have a fantastic hamburger, personal pizzas, half-priced drinks and food from the bar menu Sunday through Thursday, 4 to 7.
Q: Ciao Bella also has the advantage of a great outdoor eating area.
A: Oh, it’s great to have the patio. If we could find some way to have atrium-style dining, that would be phenomenal.
Q: Where are you from originally? What about your culinary background?
A: I was raised in Memphis, went to Houston High School. I didn’t attend culinary school. I came up through kitchens, everything from washing dishes to cooking at Automatic Slim’s,
Ronnie Grisanti’s, Folks Folly and Erling Jensen’s. Before coming back to Ciao Bella, I was corporate chef at P.F. Chang’s.
Q: What was the most important thing you took from this long learning-on-the-job process?
A: Respect the food.
James Gentry, who was chef de cuisine at Erling’s, used to say, “We live in a world where lemonade is made from artificial flavor and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” That concept turns the whole idea of the food chain and how we should treat food upside-down. You have to use the best quality products and treat them with respect.
Q: The recovery from the worldwide recession has not been as smooth or steady as prognosticators thought it would be. The restaurant industry was certainly hit hard. Do you have any trepidation about throwing yourself so completely into this job and these responsibilities?
A: Maybe it makes sense to be a bit apprehensive, especially for the little guy, I mean not the chain restaurants but the independents, the family-owned places. But as long as we keep putting out a good product and have a big smile on our face for people who come in the door, then I think we’ll be fine.
