That, plus those who operate the restaurant are known as “well respected veterans in the hospitality industry.”

Not only was it recently named 2024 restaurant of the year, that honor also made the relative newcomer the first Fairfield County restaurant to capture the state title from Connecticut Restaurant Association.

Bar Rosina’s in Greenwich topped all the others in the CRA’s Crazies awards, where 25,000 votes were cast by the public and industry experts.

CRA president and CEO Scott Dolch, who didn’t have a vote in the awards, said the win “is a big deal in that area, especially a restaurant that is a stone’s throw from the New York line getting recognized as the best in the state.”

The restaurant was opened in August 2021 by longtime friends Chef Jared Falco, 39, and Coby Blount, 40, who specializes in working front of house and is general manager.

The two met working in a restaurant in 2014 and became fast friends with a dream to open their own place.

“I’ve had the opportunity to dine at the restaurant and their food, drinks and overall hospitality was extraordinary,” Dolch said.

Falco, who has been experimenting with cuisine since childhood, as both of his parents worked, later “fell in love with business,” he said.

Receiving the Best Restaurant in Connecticut award, “blew me away,” he said.

“For me it was a surprise. We were significantly younger and never thought we had a shot,” he said.

But Dolch isn’t surprised, he said all the signs of success were there.

“They are both well respected veterans in the hospitality industry in Fairfield County,” Dolch said.

He said Chef Jared was a finalist for Chef of the Year at the CRAZIES in 2022, their bartender Juan Meyer was up for Bartender of the Year in 2022 and the restaurant was a finalist for Restaurant Newcomer in 2022. This is the 6th year of the awards.

“Also know that Chef Jared has a huge chef following among the chef/culinary community, he is a rising star who works hard on his craft day in and day out,” Dolch said.

Guests who have reviewed the restaurant online rave about the food and atmosphere in the restaurant with simple, but elegant decor.

“The food here was fantastic! Awesome drinks and wine list too,” one guest wrote. “Everything is made in house with a clear passion for food. We ordered a lot, and everything was absolutely delicious.”

Another wrote: “We love bringing the family here… The ambience in the restaurant is perfect, with a solid menu and wine list to match. Wood fired pizzas with perfect base/crust and all homemade pasta.”

Blount said they’re going for an “upbeat, energetic vibe,” and reviews indicate that’s been accomplished.

Everything on the menu is from scratch, the pasta, the cheese, and the fresh produce flows from many sources, as the restaurant has a garden, they buy at farmer’s markets and Blount’s father-in-law, a silent partner, contributes from his own massive garden.

The restaurant is named after Blount’s father-in-law/silent partner’s late mother, Rosina, an avid cook and gardener.

Blount said they buy products “hyper local,” including meats.

“We do our best to make guests happy,” Blount said. “I like that every day there’s a new challenge… a new chance to make someone’s day better.”

The menu is brimming with interesting offerings, including appetizers such as ravioli filled with house made ricotta and truffle; octopus and potato with marinara, pimento, lemon aioli; chicken cutlet with house breading, parmesan, lemon; grilled artichoke with garlic aioli.

One online reviewer said Bar Rosina’s Caesar salad is “the best” she’s ever had.

They carry 11 kinds of New York-style pizza, eight pasta dishes and entrees such as center cut veal chop parmesan, Branzino, New York strip, and chicken scarpariello.

One reviewer said Bar Rosina, “Is a place I dream about now.”

“A fantastic restaurant where you walk in and immediately feel at home. The attention to detail is everywhere,” they wrote.

Another reviewer wrote the pasta was “delicate, yet firm,” with the most perfect juxtaposition of mouthfeel.”

Customers say Chef Jared and Blount are quick to engage them.

“These guys are the best,” the reviewer wrote.

And now on Fridays, she’s taking extra care of those with allergies or sensitivities to gluten.

In addition to her regular menu in Rocky Hill, which already has many gluten-free dishes, Robaina is introducing Gluten-free Fridays with additional menu items such as organic chicken cutlets and tenders; eggplant torta and cutlets; artisanal beef and chicken meatballs, house-made soups, sauces, and entrees; frozen gluten-free gnocchi and imported Italian gluten-free pastas.

She also will add more flourless dessert choices.

She’ll use handcrafted sauces made exclusively with tamari (a gluten-free brewed soy sauce), gluten-free flours and rice panko.

“For me, cooking is about giving life a flavor, whether it’s through bold, comforting dishes or providing safe, delicious options people can trust,” she said. “Food is how I share my culture (Cuban), my story, and my love for life.”

She said gluten-free Fridays enures she can cater to all food lovers, “ensuring everyone can enjoy flavorful, fulfilling meals made with the same passion and care that defines everything we do at Ani’s Table.”

The usual non-gluten free foods will also be available on Fridays.

Ani’s Table sells gourmet quality heat and serve meals such as braised short ribs; chicken coq au vin; signature lasagne with beef, pork, veal; duck fried rice; shrimp lo mein; gumbo with shrimp, beef, sausage; teriyaki salmon; sesame tuna and noodles; Moroccan lamb stew. There’s also a half roasted chicken dinner with butternut squash and asparagus.

Ani’s Table also has a deli that sells sandwiches on house made panini.

Her popular, fast-growing business, open for nearly two years, attracts customers from all over the state.

Robaina, former executive chef at Pond House in Elizabeth Park, is located in the old DiFiore’s space at 397 Cromwell Ave.

Then there’s the atmosphere, often filled with live music, low lights, vibrant colors, and custom designed space.

Milestone restaurant in Mystic has hit its own milestone, a year in business, and it’s going even better than owner Peter Fine expected.

“It really feels it’s taking root in the community like we hoped it would in the neighborhood,” Fine said. “We wanted to create a place that’s approachable.”

Since opening they have completed a heated deck that fits 60 with its own bar.

“There’s something for everyone on that menu,” Fine said, and that’s what he was going for. A place where guests could enjoy eating with their kids as well as well as on a date.

Fine, for 25 years a hospitality-focused real estate executive, took a crack at the food/drink side of the business in 2018 when he opened Milestone in Redding.

The Redding restaurant has become a hot spot watering hole where local bands get to showcase their talent.

Fine visited Mystic often and has friends there, so when the opportunity arose for a great location in the hub of Mystic’s legendary culinary corridor, he opened at 12 Water St.

“It’s been amazing,” he said of this first year. “Many of the great restaurateurs who have come before me have been warm and welcoming to us.”

He said the Mystic restaurant community really comes together to help one another out.

“We’re lifting Mystic up as a destination for people all over,” Fine said.

Fine said all the sauces and other dishes are made from scratch, except the French fries because they “taste better frozen.”

They sell about 10 types of pizza, all Neapolitan style with raised edges and thin crust on the bottom.

Outpacing even their cheese pizza, typically the biggest seller, is a newly created “Betty White” pizza named after the late actress. Upon rolling the Betty White out, Fine said. they learned, coincidentally, the actress’ agent later in her life is a Milestone regular.

It’s a white pizza with herbed ricotta and drizzled with Mike’s hot honey, a collaboration of he and the staff.

It has far outsold the cheese pizza and that’s highly unusual, Fine said.

“It came together, we tasted it and we loved it,” Fine said of the creation. “I’m a big fan of Betty White, so we’re kind of carrying on her legacy.”

Their burgers/cheeseburgers, are also wildly popular, Fine said, and consist of two, four-ounce patties with seasonings on four sides for extra flavor, on a brioche bun.

They also elevated fare that dazzles, customers says, including steak, chicken, and chops.

Reviews on line give high ratings to the food, vibe, atmosphere and staff at Milestone Mystic.

One frequent guest wrote, “The menu has something for everyone and everything I’ve tried was delicious. My favorite food items are the Betty White pizza, the Margherita pizza, and the Good Bowl.”

The Good Bowl, also a popular item at Milestone, is a salad of quinoa, radish, sweet potato, pickled red onion, avocado, crispy chickpeas, cilantro, miso, tahini, and lemon vinaigrette.

Another guest described what her party ordered as, “perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts, lightly battered cod fish and crispy 1/2 chicken dish.,” adding, “We will make a point of going back to eat when we come to Mystic again.”

Another guest online wrote, “Lunch at Milestone was wonderful. My cold lobster roll was fresh with large pieces of lobster. The accompanying salad was delicious and fresh… Overall, we loved it!”

Music is a central part of the experience, Fine said. They have acoustic live music on Thursdays, live bands on Saturday an smooth jazz Sunday evening.

Fine said they’ve very much become part of the nightlife scene in Mystic.

Fine’s late mom owned the popular Soup’s On in Westport. They frequently had guests for dinner and on a few occasions celebrity chef Julia Child was among them.

His mother was the inspiration for him opening a restaurant, Fine has said, noting the chili on Milestone’s menu is his mom’s recipe.

To name the restaurant Milestone was actually wife Andi’s idea and he loved it, Fine said. The idea behind is that while life is full of big milestones there are also lots of little ones like gathering at a restaurant with loved ones for birthdays and other meaningful events.

He’s the founder of New Haven Direct Connect.

Thomas’ business, which ships iconic New Haven foods to other states within two days, was also the solution for Louis and Margaret Nasti, a former New Haven couple who retired to Maine and craved calzones, friselles, and poppy horns from Apicella’s Bakery.

“I loved every bit of it,” Margaret Nasti said of the foods she had shipped to Maine. “It brought me right back to Wooster Street. It brought me back to my childhood.”

Her husband, Louis Nasti added, “Everything was so fresh, as if we went in the store and picked it up.”

Thomas, who had a long career in marketing for other companies, started the business shipping New Haven favorites around the country about 18 months ago because he had long noticed on social media pages there was a demand for the foods from people who had moved away from New Haven.

“I have a great love for the food of New Haven,” said Thomas, whose original Italian name was Tommassi, then shortened because of pronunciation issues when the family got to America.

“People would write things on Facebook like, ‘I miss Lucibello’s,”‘ he said.

So far he ships products of 13 partner businesses that include: Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop, Apicella’s Bakery, Petonito’s Bakery, Claire’s Corner Copia, Napoli Foods, Liuzzi Cheese, Lamberti Sausage, Hummel Bros. meats, Foxon Park Soda, Blackie’s Hot Dog Stand Relish, Durante’s Pasta, Grand Apizza, Ferraro’s Meats.

Thomas said they are places “people trust,” that remind them of childhood.

“I just think food from home makes it more powerful,” Thomas said.

He also sells kits with ingredients to make New Haven Sunday Sauce and other specialty dishes such as make your own charcuterie.

The Sunday Sauce kit comes with two cans of Napoli San Marzano whole tomatoes, a pound of Lamberti’s Sausage, 1 pound of Ferraro’s Braciole, and 1 pound of Ferraro’s gourmet meatballs.

“We try to make people happy,” Thomas said. “I just think food from home makes it more powerful.”

The demand is particularly high in Florida and the Carolinas where many New Haveners have retired, Thomas said.

While there are other companies that will ship broader products from New Haven and other places, Thomas does detailed shopping and sends the food in ice and packaging that retains freshness.

So far they’ve shipped more than 1,900 packages and there’s a 27 percent repeat purchase rate, he said.

Peter Faggio, owner of Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop, so popular here they had long, winding lines at Christmas, is one of the partners.

“It worked out great for us ” Faggio said of Thomas’ service, noting more and more orders as word gets out. “It’s something you can’t get in other states.”

Faggio said: “People like getting pieces of their childhood… they’re thrilled to know there some way to have it brought back to them.”

Joe Patten, a Derby resident who grew up in New Haven, became Thomas’ customer after his son, Justin, a graduate school at UCLA was complained he couldn’t find any good Italian food out west.

So the Pattens sent Justin a kit for a spicy cavatelli and two pizzas from Grand Apizza.

Justin’s package included an appetizer and even Lucibello’s pastry for dessert.

“He said it was delicious and the (partially cooked) pizza didn’t taste like it had been frozen,” Patten said. “He said it was phenomenally fresh. It was a treat for him.”

Thomas said, “My customers aren’t rich,” so the markups aren’t as high as some other similar services. The shipping adds money, but he’s soon going to another system that will save the customers money.

He said people who are uncomfortable ordering online can call to order at 877-219-5150.

The new restaurant is 20 stories up with breathtaking views and operated by one Connecticut’s most acclaimed chefs. It’s opening for business at 5 p.m. Jan. 16.

The Foundry restaurant is located in the Hartford Steam Boiler insurance building in a space that previously housed two well-known fine dining restaurants from 1984 until the pandemic in 2020.

Executive chef and operator of the new restaurant, Jeff Lizotte, said The Foundry brings back a “Hartford treasure.”

From 1984 to 2006 it was The Polytechnic Club and then it became ON20 until the pandemic led to closures in 2020.

Lizotte said he was also executive chef at ON20, so for him “It’s like reading your favorite book for the second time,” he said.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said he is delighted about the opening.

“Local business owners and restauranteurs are the lifeblood of Hartford, and we are incredibly excited for the return of a fine-dining experience at the historic Hartford Steam Boiler building,” he said. “We look forward to celebrating this and many other grand openings in 2025.”

The French trained Lizotte, is co-owner and chef at Present Company in Tariffville, known for its seasonal menus and farm-to-table food. Lizotte said he’ll use the network of farmers, fisheries, artisans in Connecticut and New England that he’s built relationships with over the years to bring the best, freshest products to The Foundry.

There will be about six seasons reflected in the menu each year.

“The Foundry will highlight the talents of local producers,” Lizotte said. “The menu is excellent all around,” with balanced offerings of seafood, vegetables, and meats.

He will also feature a whole roasted chicken, crown of duck, rack of lamb to be shared at a table while guests wait for their food.

Lizotte plans to add some of the French influence he’s brought to Connecticut too.

“The Foundry takes everything I’ve learned and folds it into one,” he said. Lizotte said they want to be a restaurant that’s so excellent their guests rave to others outside of Hartford and get them to dine there as well.

Lizotte describes The Foundry as an elevated dining experience of Contemporary American food, with a look that’s industrial chic with lots of brass, gold and black steel.

The vibe they are going for is approachable, sophisticated, elevated, exiting, he said.

Lizotte, 42, said the restaurant business caught his eye as a teen because he “pleasure” in faces when friends and/or family sat amongst each other.

He realized gathering around food was something “many people loved.”

As the years went on he came to appreciate the multi disciplinary nature of being an executive chef, in that the profession incorporates art, science, psychology, business.

With large, glass windows and 20 floors up, “There’s no bad view,” at the Foundry, he said.
From different areas of restaurant one can see Constitution plaza, downtown Hartford, the Connecticut River.

The restaurant, which seats 200, has a large bar offering signature cocktails with some new twists on the classics and also, newly created cocktails, plus three private dining rooms, one of which has it’s own bar.

He said it’s a perfect place for an after work drink and bar bites, business meetings, and social dining.

He said those who knew it before are looking forward to a restaurant coming back and those who are new are excited to try it.

They are located in the One State Street building, at 400 Columbus Blvd.

The Facebook announcement about the closure states that Jan. 10 is the last day of business for Kraftwich Artisanal Eatery, unless they run out of food sooner. Kelly and James Brown also announced they will close early Jan. 10 for their last food truck event.

The couple declined to comment further than the Facebook post, which said they were closing because of “circumstances” beyond our control, citing alleged conditions of the building and repairs needed.

Restaurants across Connecticut have closed or changed hands in the past year, with experts citing food costs, inflation, difficulty keeping staff, retirements, and changing dining habits of state residents.

The Browns wrote, “We are so appreciative of those who made the effort to support us. When we found this location we were eager to join the East Hampton community and thought the building had tremendous promise.”

Customers met the Kraftwich Facebook news with emojis of hearts, broken hearts, sad faces and raves about the food Chef James Brown made.

In Facebook posts, many expressed affection for the couple, calling them “amazing,” and encouraging them to open elsewhere.

The food too was described varyingly as “amazing,” “wonderful,” and “incredible.”

“Very sad and sorry to hear this, but there’s a reason for everything, I’m confident you and your family will figure a way thru this and come out better on the other side,” one commenter wrote.

Another wrote: “I hope you can find a new home, your food is wonderful.”

Another wrote: “So sorry to hear this! You guys are amazing and your food is incredible! Hope to see you guys again.”

Another said the Browns, “Always went above and beyond.”

“We are beyond saddened by this news and wish it was not the case,” they wrote.

Another who wrote they ate their recently and “loved the food, commented, “Omg no! This is so sad! The fried mozzarella is on point”

Those with gift cards can use them before Friday or reach out to the Browns for reimbursement at 860-267-7700, through social media, or at KraftwichFoodTruck@gmail.com.

“We want to thank everyone who gave us a try and hope that 2025 will be a better year for everyone,” the couple wrote on Facebook.

Before opening the brick and mortar in the Cobalt section in August, the Kraftwich food truck crossed the state for a few years, making a name for its uniquely flavored artisan sandwiches at festivals, breweries and private events.

James Brown, the chef, came up with creative offerings such as a saltine encrusted pork schnitzel sandwich. No ordinary cold cut sandwiches were served, only warm, upscale ones and sides, that James Brown categorizes as “American comfort food.”

The couple, who have young children, were excited and full of hope about their new, small space “without wheels.”

All they need now is a legislator to sponsor a bill to get the issue before the state Legislature’s Environment Committee.

Environmentalist Tom Metzner, citizen leader in the movement said those tiny mostly plastic alcohol bottles are bad for the environment, cause pervasive litter and make it easy through concealment to drink and drive. Opponents contend any municipal ban would not end litter and would put a burden on businesses.

Metzner emphasizes they are not seeking a statewide ban, but rather for the right of cities and towns to decide whether sale of the nips bottle should be banned in their towns.

“I believe in the power of the people and their right for redressive grievances at the local level,” Metzner said. “It’s central to our government that we have a say at the local level.”

A bill to that effect was proposed last year, a hearing was held before the Environment Committee, but the measure didn’t make it to a vote.

Metzner said the “powerful” wine and spirits lobby in Connecticut in Connecticut is the main barrier.

CT sees $13.5M in revenue from ‘nips’ bottles in three years. See how much your town got this year.

Liquor industry representative Larry Cafero, the main opponent of the measure, said last year he fully expected the controversial issue to return this year.

Cafero, executive director and general counsel for Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Connecticut said at the time, “we’ll keep making our points.”

Cafero has maintained the decades old alcohol regulations in Connecticut were intended to be uniform, especially because they involve “regulation of a drug.”

It’s a slippery slope, he has said, to banning other sized bottles, or liquors that taste like cinnamon or root beer because they might appeal to teenagers.

He said letting municipalities choose is “dangerous.”

He also said liquor store owners have an expectation when they start in the business and that includes the ability to sell nip bottles. In some cases, members of the public have praised the nip bottles as an aid to keep heavy drinking in check or for using recipes when not much alcohol is needed.

“To allow any municipality the authority to ban a specific product by a simple majority of its legislative body can lead to chaos,” he told the Environment Committee.

The Connecticut Package Stores Association testified to the committee that, “allowing municipalities to ban the sale of nips would place a significant financial burden on stores in towns where bans are imposed. As seen in (a Massachusetts town), banning these bottles would not solve the overall issue of litter, as it is not a product issue, but an issue of individual behavior. Similarly, banning nips will not prevent the consumption of alcohol by individuals in an irresponsible or dangerous manner, as the decision to do so is not driven by a product, but by a person’s willingness to engage in harmful behavior.”

About 90 million nips bottles per year are sold in Connecticut. The bottles selling for about $1 to $5 cannot be redeemed for a deposit because machinery where other other cans and bottles are redeemed for not take them.

Metzner has said the bill amounts to clarifying Connecticut’s liquor law and doesn’t seek to ban nips statewide.

The popular tiny bottles of liquor, mostly plastic, fit in pockets and are often tossed out of vehicle windows onto streets and into waterways after being consumed

So legislators put a 5 cent surcharge on each nip bottle. That money, significant amounts in some cases, goes back to each municipality, required to be spent on litter reduction or environmental initiatives.

Environmentalists have complained the plastic gets into waterways.

Rachel Precious, volunteer chàirof Surfrider Foundation, Connecticut chapter, said her organization supports the bill giving municipalities the decision.

Numerous nip bottles have been found at their beach cleanups, she said, noting the group puts an emphasis on reducing “plastic pollution,” she said.

“You can do all the cleanups you want, but you have to look at source,” Precious said.”We have a lot of success when we work on a local level.”

She doesn’t buy Cafero’s argument about the original intention of liquor laws, saying, “Our planet has changed.”

Metzner noted in his testimony to the committee last year that drinking and driving cases went way down in out-of-state communities that ceased to sell nips.

Metzner said time is growing short to get a sponsor and speculates that legislators are busier than usual because of the recent election.

Last year’s bill had several sponsors, so he’s hopeful.

In testimony to the Environment Committee early in 2024, Metzner said, “This bill will allow average citizens the right to petition their municipally elected officials to consider a ban. We are not asking the state to ban the sale of nips, we are simply asking the state to remove the artificial barriers to municipalities from considering a ban. The state’s authority in this instance is inadvertent and should be granted to the towns.”

Cynthia A Chesky, co-founder of CT Towns Nixing the Nips, testified that she had been picking up trash in Bristol for a little more than one year and in that picked up over 62,000 nip bottles just from her daily walks, which did not “encompass the whole geographical area of Bristol.”

That bill was proposed by state Rep. Joseph Gresko, D-Stratford, House chairman of the Environment Committee, and co-sponsored by two colleagues, David Michel, D-Stamford and Mary Mushinsky, D-Wallingford.

Those who haven’t traveled to Greece will get a nice snapshot of the atmosphere, vibe and food of the country.

It’s the blue and white colors, the lights made from blown glass, the photos, and the authentic food of the beach side village where Milios lived until he was 12.

“I make it feel like you’re in Greece,” he said. “I want people to feel back to Greece like if they went on a cruise. That’s what makes it unique.”

The restaurant, soon to expand to other communities in a simpler form, has been named in a state-by-state list as having top-rated Greek food in Connecticut. They have a wall of Connecticut “best of” awards voted by the public.

Soon they will open a take out/delivery only branch in Plainville and a second of those in another community, likely West Hartford, Milios said. Customers drive from as far away as New York, Massachusetts, Norwich and were “pressing me to expand,” he said.

Retired Hartford Hospital anesthesiologist, Dr. James Rouman, who says over the years he “has been obsessed by travel to Greece and its islands,” considers Mykonos “an important figure in the local gastronomic scene.”

“It’s fair to say that I’ve tasted plenty of Greek food in my lifetime. I believe Mykonos Restaurant stands out as the best source of Greek cuisine in the area and perhaps in the country, itself, ” he said. “There is a sense of authenticity about the place and for the quality of their presentations.”

He said, there’s “a great vibe when dining there.”

“The restaurant has been discovered at last by foodies and by all who now espouse the important Mediterranean Diet,” he said.

One online reviewer who tried chicken spanakopita wrote, “I thought I died and went to heaven with this chicken dish.”

Milios grew up until age 12 on the island of Rhodes, but named his restaurant Mykonos because it’s an island many from the United States visit and he wanted to indicate it is a Greek restaurant.

He came here in a boat in 1974 and his dad, who arrived in the U.S. prior to that had opened a pizza place in East Hartford.

He grew up in the business and always wanted to open a Greek restaurant, but worried it might be risky to open a place focused one one cuisine.

But eight years ago he decided to give it a go by opening Mykonos at 2414 Berlin Tpke. in Newington.

Before that he owned Oscar’s near the UConn campus.

In Greece, Milios learned to cook from his mom, grandmother and aunts. Later, he took the best of what he was taught by each to make the menu at Mykonos.

“I love the business,” he said. “Once you grow up with it, it stays with you.”

Everything is made from scratch and cooked the old-fashioned, authentic way.

He’s there every day, but a team comes in every morning at 7 a.m. to make Tzatziki sauce and other house made condiments and mainstays.

Milios tastes every one of them every day to make sure it’s up to his standard.

“I’m very fussy. People (employees) get mad at me, but that’s how it goes,” Milios said.

The spacious dining room of about 110 seats and a bar, has expanded from three booths and six tables.

There are so many little touches of authenticity, even a ceiling fan is shaped like a windmill, which the island of Mykonos is known for.

The food receives rave reviews online, and there’s apparently good reason.

Guests rave about the grilled calamari, souvlaki, moussaka, chicken spanakopita, desserts and more.

Milios said the lemon potatoes are baked in the oven to have the original taste you’d have in on a vacation in Greece.

He even carries soft drinks and coffee from Greece.

They sell lots of gyros, Milios said, because they make them the traditional way, by grilling the pita, as well as the meat.

The octopus, another popular dish that draws guests, is prepared in the way he was taught to make it in the seaside village where he grew up.

Their hummus and popular spicy feta dip are also made from scratch.

The mixed grill plate is another “big seller,” he said.

Because Italy is so close to Greece, and because people like options, they also carry about five Italian dishes, he said.

“I’m proud of all we’ve done,” Milios said, referring to his wife, daughter and son in law who help run the restaurant.

But today, “they are two of the proudest parents,” and love to say, “That’s my son,” he said.

Chirnomula, owner of the restaurant Chef Prasad in New Canaan, built a culinary empire through the years, owning as many as seven acclaimed restaurants in Connecticut in 2017 and got a three-star review in the New York Times that made him cry.

That review was in 2006 for Thali, one of his former signature restaurants in New Haven.

“I’m not a doctor, but generally, doctors take care of people and so do I…And they leave happy,” Chirnomula has told his parents.

Most recently, Chirnomula was named Caterer of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association.

Chirnomula said, “I felt on top of the world,” to accept the coveted CRA award.

“It’s like oh my God. I think I’m good, but when someone else says it, it feels good,” he said. “I didn’t even think I’d be close.”

Chirnomula said the catering arm of the business is growing fast and even though the specialty is Indian food, sometimes “there’s not a single Indian around.”

Often the wedding events are multicultural with an Indian bride or groom and non-Indian mate.

Often the food is mixed, for instance, Indian and Italian.

Well-known Connecticut chef

Tyler Anderson, co-owner of Millwright’s Restaurant in Simsbury who has done culinary collaborations with Chirnomula, said, “He is one of my greatest friends.”

“His grasp of Indian cooking is unmatched in our state and I’ve never eaten anything from him that wasn’t simply delicious,” Anderson said.

The small Chef Prasad restaurant that seats 50 indoors and 25 on the patio is open all week for take out and delivery, but dining in is by reservation only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for dinner.

Chirnomula said freshness, seasonings, ingredients, textures, colors and the presentations are “very important to make the food taste so good.”

Online reviews of the restaurant are filled with superlatives.

“Chef Prasad’s food is, without question, the best Indian Food I have ever had, easily outclassing my previous high water marks in NYC and London,” one reviewer wrote.

Another wrote: “Food was sensational. Even if you are a rookie when it comes to Indian food, as I am, it is so worth the experience.”

Another wrote that Chef Prasad “creates magic in the kitchen.”

“His style of food brings out the many flavors found in Indian cuisine. All good dishes are freshly made and serviced with perfect amount of spices,” they wrote.

Some of the classic dishes offered are eggplant chaat, chicken tikka masala, Tandoori kebabs, Mother’s chicken curry, charcoal grilled fresh fish and Tandoori lamb chops. Non-traditional dishes include cauliflower Manchurian, robust tacos with tangy fillings, chef’s signature Konkan crab and shrimp moilee.

Chirnomula said he grew up helping his mother cook, the extended family often gathered at their home, and he later had formal training at Food Craft Institute of Poona, where he studied culinary arts and hotel and restaurant management. He graduated first in his class.

At 22 he became director of food and beverage at the Ritz Hotel, Hyderabad, India, managing 250 employees.

He came to the United States in 1986 at age 23 and had to start as a dishwasher despite his experience.

At one point in 2017 he owned seven restaurants in Connecticut, including India in West Hartford and Thali and Thali Too.

Today Chirnomula says he’s “stress-free” and “relaxed” and it’s all about “life balance.”

But he certainly hasn’t stopped.

He sold those businesses and broadened his scope, teaching cooking classes, taking groups on immersive dining tours of India, consulting for master chefs at prestigious locations nationwide and doing collaborations with some of Connecticut’s best chefs.

During the first quarter of 2025 he will open Allied Gourmet United in Easton, an Indian/ Mexican restaurant where produce is sourced from local farms. He will also expand his catering kitchen.

“I’m always a few steps ahead looking at the next step,” Chirnomula said.

When it comes to catering he has a huge team, but the bookings start with him and his expertise.

“People have the best of both worlds when they work with me,” he said. “If you’re talking to me, you’ve got my complete attention.”

Catering takes a lot of planning, he said, noting sometimes they have to build entire kitchens on site.

“You can’t miss one ingredient,” or you have to go back and get it, Chirnomula said .

He said Indian weddings are “elaborate” and often include three or four events involving food.

That kind of passion and dedication, along with a sparkly personality that customers say “lights up any room” is why Johnson has been named the state’s Bartender of the Year by the Connecticut Restaurant Association.

“To be honest, it’s not that hard to be nice,” Johnson said. “Hospitality is like you’ve invited people into your home.”

Johnson, 41, lead bartender at Fire by Forge restaurant in Hartford, got her start in hospitality 20 years ago when she took a job on a small cruise ship that catered to guests in their 70s and 80s.

The older age group tended to order the classics: martinis, Manhattans, old fashions with all kinds of nuances like extra bitters.

“I really fell in love with those cocktails,” she said, and it gave her a solid foundation for embellishing.

From there she spent years as a bartender taking cocktails to the next level.

Now she makes her own foam to top off drinks and gets creative with garnishes, using things like dehydrated pear tops, edible rose petals, grapefruit, pomegranate, apples, sage, and mint. She even has a drink where she lights the leaves of rosemary to give a drink a subtle smoky taste.

“We’re on the creative side,” she said. “It’s more about homemade ingredients. I make my own foam, syrups, liqueurs, smoked cocktails.”

Customer Michael Leungevity said Johnson has a “really great understanding of flavors and spirits.

Like a chef assembling ingredients that will play well with each other and create interesting and compatible flavors.” Leungevity said Johnson also has a “really good heart and love for the industry.”

He said she was once in a cocktail making contest and her drink was so much more advanced than the others she agreed to step back when judges told her so that someone less experienced could get the limelight.

“She agreed without even taking a second to ponder not winning.” he said.

Customer Dylan Richelmann said Johnson “lights up any room she is in.”

“Her smile, laugh, and demeanor are contagious and instantly improve your mood,” he said. “When you sit down at Fire by Forge in Hartford, I recommend asking her to make you a drink with your favorite spirit and taste preferences. Suzie will impress you and have you asking for more.”

Customer Al Loomer and his wife visit the bar after eating at Fire by Forge.

“She is so much fun as a bartender,” Loomer said. “She knows her drinks and is a creative bartender with specialty drinks but you will never forget Suzie after interacting with her.”

Fire by Forge Restaurant and Cafe, is connected with the non-profit Forge City Works, which trains people with employment barriers for jobs in the hospitality business.

Johnson said she loves the mission of the company and they are great employers, emphasizing work/life balance, paid time off and providing other benefits sometimes not found in the hospitality industry.

“People (customers) are all about the food, the mission, the drinks,” she said.

General Manager Justin Morales said aside from being a pro at making drinks, Johnson has a “bubbly” personality.

“She has a great big heart that shows love for her drinks and her guests,” Morales said.

Ben Dubow, executive director of Forge City Works, said Johnson “makes people feel welcome” and is “a natural in hospitality.”

Johnson said bartenders see customers when they’re happy, sad or upset and solid bartender has to read what they need.

She starts with a smile when they walk in, makes eye contact and asks questions. Her copper bar in a space with high ceilings and wooden beams has 13 seats.

She said it’s about, “making people feel welcome and seen in your space.”

“You want to tailor the experience to the person, rather than tailoring the person to the experience,” she said.

For Johnson, bartending is an important “creative outlet” she felt she needed as child.

“Growing up I felt creative, but had no outlet,” she said. “Finding hospitality for me was finding home.”

She had tried working in accounting, but found sitting at a desk was not her thing.

Prior to taking the job at Fire by Forge when they opened two years ago she worked as a bartender at Outback in Newington and more recently, Conspiracy in Middletown.

Although Johnson is creative, there’s nothing wonky in how she runs the bar: she’s organized, has a system and finds preparation is key.

“I think I like that no two days are ever the same. There’s so much opportunity in each day,” Johnson said. “I like the kind of people who sit at bars.”

A CRA spokesman said the nominees and winners in several categories are chosen by a group of chefs and industry leaders, and a panel made up from invited members of Connecticut’s media community. After nominees are selected, it goes to voting from both general public and nomination panel. This year the CRA received 25,000 votes.