Cesare Bonazza from Chezaray Photography . Restaurant Photography by Olivia Poli .
CESARE RISTOR — ANTE
Tucked away in Beverly Hills , the newly opened Cesare Ristorante is one of our favorite spots for refined Italian cuisine … Cesare Vietina , from the family behind Madeo , continues his family ’ s legacy with a dining experience that ’ s perfect for lovers , dinner with the tribe , or the best reason to enjoy an incredible , authentic Italian meal : simply celebrating life . We got in touch with Cesare to learn more about his namesake restaurant , his culinary journey and his passion for Italian cuisine …
Channel Road . I was the co-owner of Madeo for decades ; I have been in the restaurant industry my whole life , and I love it ! I love food and I love people .
How did the idea for Cesare Ristorante come to be ?
My friend J . L ., who actually used to work with my dad at Pane Caldo Ristorante in the ‘ 80s , was one of the owners of a previous restaurant on Third Street . He called us one morning to check out his place , and we went to see it on a very cold and rainy day . We loved it the minute we saw it . It was exactly what we wanted : a small , cozy neighborhood space for our clientele to feel at home . The location was perfect , the size was perfect , and so many of my clients live in the neighborhood .
What is your best memory of cooking with your family ? What are some of your favorite traditions that you share together over food ?
The best memory was our Monday night dinners at my grandmother Tina ’ s home in Italy . My father , Bruno , has always loved to cook for our family and friends . My favorite part was the prep . He would take me to different places to buy specific ingredients for the dinners . It was an adventure . Now , I get to do the same with my two sons , Rocco and Luca . Nothing makes me happier than passing this tradition down to them .
You and your family have been at the forefront of offering authentic Italian cuisine in Los Angeles . Could you share a bit about your journey in the restaurant industry here in LA ?
Oh wow , thank you so much ! I must give a lot of thanks to my father . My father , Bruno Vietina , was a very successful restaurateur in Forte dei Marmi , Italy . He was the first to receive a Michelin Star in Forte dei Marmi for his restaurant , Maito , which was named after the wife of Madeo . When he was very young , he couldn ’ t say her full name , so he nicknamed her Maito . I have a 1960s picture of the restaurant displayed in my restaurant today . My father Bruno taught me everything about food and the restaurant industry . My first memories as a kid are of running around our restaurant on the beach with my best friends and family . The whole family moved to LA in the early ‘ 80s . His first restaurant in LA was called Il Giardino on Third Street , which , funny enough , is just a few blocks down from where Cesare Ristorante is now . My family opened Madeo Ristorante in the mid- ’ 80s on Beverly Blvd , and I started working there . From there , I moved to Santa Monica because I was accepted to Pepperdine University . At the same time , I partnered with Giorgio Baldi and opened Giorgio on West