Roberto Donna | |
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Born | 1961 (age 62–63) |
Culinary career | |
Current restaurant(s)
| |
Previous restaurant(s)
| |
Award(s) won
|
Roberto Donna is an Italian chef and restaurateur in Washington D.C.
Donna was born in Turin, Italy, where he enrolled in culinary school at the age of 13. [1] He came to the United States at the age of 19, working in an Italian restaurant on K Street in Washington, D.C. [1] [2]
In 1984, Donna opened Galileo in Dupont Circle, which was an immediate success. [1] The restaurant only seated 50, and in the early days, even Vice-President George H. W. Bush could not secure a last-minute reservation. [3] Donna and his partner Savino Recine opened more casual trattorias, Primi Piatti, and then I Matti, serving pizza and pasta. [3] By the end of the 1990s, Donna's empire grew to 12 restaurants, including Il Radicchio, Pesce, and Barolo. [1] [4] In 1999, he expanded Galileo into a neighboring space and opened a restaurant-within-a-restaurant, Il Laboratorio del Galileo, serving multi-course meals in a small (25-30 seats) dining room, with a glass-walled "showcase" kitchen. [4] [5]
Donna published a cookbook, Cooking in Piedmont, in 1996. [2] [6]
Donna won the 1996 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. [2] [7] The next year, Galileo was named one of the "10 Best Italian Restaurants in America" by Wine Spectator. [2] [7] The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington recognized Donna as the "Chef of the Year" in 1990, and the "Restaurateur of the Year" in 1995. [2] Donna was invited to Rome in 1996 to receive the Insegna del Ristorante Italiano, awarded by the Italian Government in recognition of serving the best authentic Italian food outside Italy. [2] [8]
In 2005, Donna competed on Iron Chef America, losing to Masaharu Morimoto after failing to plate a sufficient number of dishes. [9] He requested a rematch and bested Morimoto in 2006. [10]
In 2004, Donna's company declared bankruptcy and his restaurants began to close; Galileo closed in 2006, and he had no restaurants to his name when Bebo Trattoria closed in 2009. [1] Donna was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes at Bebo, and in 2010, Donna pled guilty to felony embezzlement, receiving a five-year suspended sentence on condition of probation, good behavior, and restitution. [1] [11] Donna and his business partners still faced several civil lawsuits when he returned to the kitchen with the opening of Galileo III in October 2010. [1] [7] The restaurant closed abruptly after less than one year. [12]
In 2012, Donna opened Al Dente in Embassy Row, and Esquire magazine named him its "Chef of the Year." [13] In February 2013, a four-seat counter, Roberto's 4, opened within Al Dente. [14] At the end of 2013, Donna opened a second restaurant, Alba Osteria, in Mount Vernon Triangle. [15] Alba Osteria closed in 2019, citing rent disagreements with its landlord. [16]
In February, 2022, Roberto’s opened in Vienna, Virginia, with Donna as chef, doing what he does best. The restaurant is solely owned by Donna’s wife, Nancy Sabbagh. [17]
Roberto Donna | |
---|---|
Born | 1961 (age 62–63) |
Culinary career | |
Current restaurant(s)
| |
Previous restaurant(s)
| |
Award(s) won
|
Roberto Donna is an Italian chef and restaurateur in Washington D.C.
Donna was born in Turin, Italy, where he enrolled in culinary school at the age of 13. [1] He came to the United States at the age of 19, working in an Italian restaurant on K Street in Washington, D.C. [1] [2]
In 1984, Donna opened Galileo in Dupont Circle, which was an immediate success. [1] The restaurant only seated 50, and in the early days, even Vice-President George H. W. Bush could not secure a last-minute reservation. [3] Donna and his partner Savino Recine opened more casual trattorias, Primi Piatti, and then I Matti, serving pizza and pasta. [3] By the end of the 1990s, Donna's empire grew to 12 restaurants, including Il Radicchio, Pesce, and Barolo. [1] [4] In 1999, he expanded Galileo into a neighboring space and opened a restaurant-within-a-restaurant, Il Laboratorio del Galileo, serving multi-course meals in a small (25-30 seats) dining room, with a glass-walled "showcase" kitchen. [4] [5]
Donna published a cookbook, Cooking in Piedmont, in 1996. [2] [6]
Donna won the 1996 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. [2] [7] The next year, Galileo was named one of the "10 Best Italian Restaurants in America" by Wine Spectator. [2] [7] The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington recognized Donna as the "Chef of the Year" in 1990, and the "Restaurateur of the Year" in 1995. [2] Donna was invited to Rome in 1996 to receive the Insegna del Ristorante Italiano, awarded by the Italian Government in recognition of serving the best authentic Italian food outside Italy. [2] [8]
In 2005, Donna competed on Iron Chef America, losing to Masaharu Morimoto after failing to plate a sufficient number of dishes. [9] He requested a rematch and bested Morimoto in 2006. [10]
In 2004, Donna's company declared bankruptcy and his restaurants began to close; Galileo closed in 2006, and he had no restaurants to his name when Bebo Trattoria closed in 2009. [1] Donna was prosecuted for failing to pay taxes at Bebo, and in 2010, Donna pled guilty to felony embezzlement, receiving a five-year suspended sentence on condition of probation, good behavior, and restitution. [1] [11] Donna and his business partners still faced several civil lawsuits when he returned to the kitchen with the opening of Galileo III in October 2010. [1] [7] The restaurant closed abruptly after less than one year. [12]
In 2012, Donna opened Al Dente in Embassy Row, and Esquire magazine named him its "Chef of the Year." [13] In February 2013, a four-seat counter, Roberto's 4, opened within Al Dente. [14] At the end of 2013, Donna opened a second restaurant, Alba Osteria, in Mount Vernon Triangle. [15] Alba Osteria closed in 2019, citing rent disagreements with its landlord. [16]
In February, 2022, Roberto’s opened in Vienna, Virginia, with Donna as chef, doing what he does best. The restaurant is solely owned by Donna’s wife, Nancy Sabbagh. [17]