#Clockedin with Jordan Edwards

#240 - Hospitality Legacy: Building a 40-Year Restaurant Dynasty

• Jordan Edwards • Season 5 • Episode 240

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Genuine hospitality isn't just a business strategy—it's a way of life for Gino Tiozzo, second-generation owner of Tampa's legendary Donatello Restaurant. In this revealing conversation, Gino shares how a foundation of respect and attentiveness has sustained his family's restaurant for an extraordinary 40 years.

"To sum it up in one word, it's hospitality," Gino explains, crediting his father Guido for teaching him to treat customers as though they were entering their home. This philosophy has created something remarkable in today's transient restaurant landscape—a team where 30% of staff members have served for more than three decades. When staff members have been part of your life since you were 12 years old, as Gino notes, "We become family."

The journey hasn't always been straightforward. Gino candidly discusses his temporary departure from the restaurant to explore other paths, including construction, which taught him valuable humility before returning to work alongside his father. Their relationship evolved from the tensions of a young man wanting to implement changes to a symbiotic partnership built on mutual respect—a process that took nearly a decade.

We explore the balancing act between maintaining beloved traditions (like presenting every woman with a rose upon departure) while staying relevant for new generations. Gino shares captivating stories of hosting Robert Kennedy Jr., NFL legends, and how the restaurant's annual Thanksgiving service provides a Donatello experience to 1,000 people in need, supported by dozens of community volunteers.

Behind the exquisite cuisine lies a deeper connection to Venice, Italy, with original artwork created specifically for the space, hand-applied gold and silver leaf details, and authentic Venetian masks. Through special events like opera nights and Carnival celebrations, Donatello doesn't just serve food—it creates an immersive cultural experience.

Listen in as Gino reveals how focusing on attentiveness and courtesy—qualities we can all apply to our daily lives—creates not just a successful business but a community institution that spans generations. What small gestures might transform your relationships and work? The answers await in this thought-provoking conversation.

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Speaker 1:

Hey, what's going on, guys? We've got a special guest here today. We have Gino Tiazzo. He is the owner of Donatello's in Tampa. Gino, we're so excited to have you on the Hashtag Clocked In podcast. What has caused you to keep this place so amazing? Because I feel like every time someone comes here, they're like the girls get the roses. You have this incredible home-cooked meal. It feels like family. How have you been able to do that?

Speaker 2:

Well, jordan, first of all, thank you for having me on the show, and I think you know. To sum it up in one word, it's hospitality, and I had the best teacher. I'm very thankful. It was my father, guido Tiozzo, who founded the restaurant 40 years ago.

Speaker 2:

I had the fortune to work side by side with him for over 20 years besides coming into work when I was a teenager and so on, here and there, on and off while I was in school, off while I was in school but after coming back here to work in 1998, I worked with him for 20 years and that's really the biggest lesson that I've learned from him was the lessons of hospitality and how to treat people and treating people like they were walking into our home and in all respects, it is a place where I often spend more time at than my home. So there's a lot of truth in that.

Speaker 2:

I think that's what sets us apart from other restaurants, other restaurants and what's been the key that's been able to allow us this longevity besides other elements of keeping quality in product and delivering and so on, but the hospitable nature and the culture of that of our staff, which a lot of people also associate that with italians and if you go to visit italy you know. I mean, that's in our nature, it's in our blood.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, um, and so it's yeah, and for you and for you, where did this journey begin? Because I know your dad traveled, you've traveled, like, where did the journey begin?

Speaker 2:

honestly, uh, if I had to say I, I would say campo santo stefano in venice okay, where uh, where my father had a restaurant bar called, uh, cafe de vidi, yeah uh, and where I grew up, which is and I grew up around that restaurant, around that restaurant, around that we had the big piazza with a lot of tables and chairs out front, and that's where I spent my days around the restaurant, learning to play soccer, riding my bike in and out of there, in and out of the restaurant, watching my dad work, watching everything move.

Speaker 1:

And I grew up around the restaurant business absolutely, and do you think that was beneficial for you? Because I feel like there's this whole work-life balance thing going on right now I think it was a very beneficial.

Speaker 2:

I mean, obviously there's the examples, uh, and maybe my dad not the best example of the balance. He was a workaholic, you know, he ran that business and Donatello for 30 years.

Speaker 1:

So he kept one in Venice, and Well, no.

Speaker 2:

First, there yeah, both of them the same way. By being at the business all the time. You know his attention to detail, his energy, his presence was what really drove. I remember both the bar and Donatello. For many, many years both the bar and Donatello for many, many years. So you know, when you say work-life balance, I don't know if he was the best example of the balance but he was a great example of being a hard worker and having a good work ethic, and I'm very thankful for Moving forward.

Speaker 2:

You know there's something to be said for. You know there's something to be said for having some family life.

Speaker 1:

Business isn't exactly conducive to that it can be challenging and we don't realize and we don't realize how much I've read in this book Augment Dino, and it basically talks how you're wed to your work, but you're also wed to your family and there's times and places for each of them and it becomes very interesting how we think about that it's not an easy balance no I don't think that I've gotten it right through the years, so I don't want to you know, I've definitely spent uh for 20 years after I came back to work with my father in 98.

Speaker 2:

I spent, I followed or came as close as possible to his example and worked for 20 years every day and most nights in the business and I can't say that that was the best for my family life. But having had four children, in that period and so on and so forth. But I think the event that really put things a little bit into perspective for me was COVID. Yeah. When we kind of had to all step back and be at home more than we wanted to, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

You know at that time, but that also kind of made me look at things a little bit differently and say you know, I'm not going to have this time for much longer. You know, my children are getting older, and so I've been able to create a little bit more of a balance since then and fortunately, um, in regards to my, our team and uh staff members. We have many staff members that have worked with us for 40 years, 38 years yeah 30.

Speaker 2:

You know we celebrated carmelo being with us for 40 years this march 15th oh wow, david's been with us for 38 years yeah, mauro's been with us for 38 years. Yeah, mauro's been with us for over 30 years. I mean the list goes on. Yeah, 30% of our staff's been with us for 30 years or longer.

Speaker 1:

Wow, that is culture and you don't, that's exactly the right word.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and that's where the hospitality and the culture of the restaurant and of this business comes into play.

Speaker 1:

And you see a lot of these restaurants even today, people coming in and a lot of it's turning over fairly quickly. There's very few that have been able to stand the test and to have people in it for 30 years. Most people are like I'm out, I don't like this, this. So what is it that makes Donatello's really unique and different?

Speaker 2:

I think that's what we just touched on is one of the biggest elements the longevity, the familiarity and the nostalgia that goes along with having that long-standing staff, creating relationships with customers that become friends over many years, it becomes generational.

Speaker 2:

When you're in business for 40 years, I mean even as a teenager, I would come in here and work seasons and so on, work seasons and so on. But even just being around the business, my dad would introduce me to certain people that were frequent customers and through the years, when I came back to work now 25 years, okay for me consistently these people that I met, then their children and then now their children, it becomes three and four generations deep yeah, deep, and these relationships, I think is are what really set us apart and being able to have the also the relationship within the staff, within the team.

Speaker 2:

You know we're talking about Carmelo being here or many of the members being here for over 30 years. I'm only 50. So they knew me literally when I was 12 years old. Yeah. You know, that's insane. I'm 12 years old, which is we become family. You know, and the new members of the team that come in, the new staff that comes in, feel that yeah. And it's very important because it allows, with having the older staff, it allows that to translate through even to newer staff.

Speaker 2:

If we had to start off with all new staff, it would be very difficult to recreate that culture and that pride in being here, that pride in working here, that professionalism that gets passed on from the older guys to the younger guys and, honestly, if it doesn't, usually, if they resist most of the time they leave on their own If they don't feel it, if they don't understand it, if they don't feel it, if they don't understand it, if they don't appreciate it, um, and not to say that you know the the newer guys come in and they have.

Speaker 2:

I don't want to discredit new thought or new ideas you know, that's not what I'm saying at all. We're not running here under a dictatorship, or you know, like a lot of times, new blood and new ideas yeah help us grow as a business right and help us stay relevant. Yeah, but it's important that they understand the culture of where it's come, where. What is sets donatello apart? What is? Donatello. What is, you know, that's that's so very important to our future as well, as much as it has been to our past longevity.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, I mean, I see it even when I come here.

Speaker 2:

Sorry if I went too long.

Speaker 1:

No, there's no too long. No, no, I love the deep explanation because I came here and you can see it, where the people care and the people understand and they know the next move and when you leave there's a rose for you and the people understand and they know the next move, and like when you leave, there's a rose for you and even just being here during the setup, you know you're setting up everything, you're setting up the place Like you set a very high standard. So how do you think other leaders can kind of step into that? Because I feel like people are at the point now where they think leadership is yelling at someone or being too loud.

Speaker 2:

And it's not that at all, but it's being there for them in that moment. I think leading is through example more than through words and that's the most important. I, who you said through you know people think that it's yelling, and you know that who you said through you know people think that it's yelling, and you know if I think back.

Speaker 2:

I think you know, there was even an old school point where that was more of the culture moving forward, and maybe it is now in some arenas also. But I think if you demand or not demand, but if you want somebody to have respect for you as a person, for the business that you own or that they participate in, really the most important thing is to treat them with respect, and there's going to be problems, there's going to be issues.

Speaker 2:

We work in a high pressure environment, a high pressure business, I mean. Performance is important, and how we perform on busier nights and on even slow nights. The pressure of being slow is a real thing as well. You know, we've been here for 40 years. We've been through all kinds of ups and downs, and both provide a challenge. Yes.

Speaker 2:

Okay and put pressure on staff owners. Customer. I was going to say, is respect and being kind and understanding towards the staff. Of course, they have to do their part as well. I find that people perform much better when they're happy to be where they're at In the location. And I think that that's a big part of why we have such longevity in our staff. There's problems between staff. There's problems, of course. I mean those things happen anywhere. Our staff, yeah, you know there's problems between staff.

Speaker 1:

There's problems, of course.

Speaker 2:

I mean, those things happen anywhere, right. Yeah. But resolving them diplomatically and listening to everybody's side. And you know, those things are really important when being a leader, when you know, representing a business absolutely, and it's not siding with one person or the other person, and well, in the end you might have to no, I mean eventually you side, but you don't side with the guy who's been there 40 years versus maybe.

Speaker 1:

No, they're not always right exactly there's.

Speaker 2:

I mean, there's a lot of respect and you know weight to that yeah, but in particular situations. It's not always the case.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, absolutely. And for you, I know you went through a very interesting journey of leaving the restaurant to kind of go find yourself and then coming back. What was that journey like? And then what was it like being kind of working with your dad for so long, because it's not easy to build, like you said, it's very difficult to build trust. It takes a long time it took a while.

Speaker 2:

I did leave for a few years and had some different experiences which I think were very important to me also in coming back into the business. And not even necessarily just in the restaurant field. When I was gone, I actually worked more in other arenas, not in the restoration, not in the restaurant business Construction more than anything actually which I enjoyed a lot. I built a few homes and just different construction. Oh, interesting.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it was great. I enjoyed it, but that was the bottom of the rank in that situation because I didn't really have a background but I was working hands right and it made it a lot of. It made it very interesting because I learned how to do everything on on the job, yeah, but also taught me to take a step back and listen and learn. You know, in a way that I didn't have and maybe didn't never had to or never would have had to if I didn't do that.

Speaker 2:

Or never would have had to if I didn't do that. Yeah, and it helped me when I came back to, if you will, the relationship, the working relationship that I had with my father. Yeah. And kind of step back and be more humble, to not come in and try to change this or that or the other thing you know, like really learn, or this or that, or the other thing you know, like really learn.

Speaker 2:

And the restaurant had already been super successful for 15 years or 14 years when I came back to work with him day for a company meeting and suggesting something and um, and getting shut down like immediately by my father and it was like you know the rest of the stuff and then.

Speaker 2:

but the idea was may have even brought us somewhat of a solution to what was being talked about, but it was just shut down like without even thought yeah but what happened is then some of the staff was like you know, that probably would work, and then, but some of it was may may be implemented, but not exactly yeah but it kind of shifted a little bit. This was a few years after I'd come back, right, it wasn't like on the first day. It's kind of funny, yeah, um, but uh, but it kind of shifted. You know, like it didn't shift, but they were like okay, a little bit on my side.

Speaker 2:

Some of the staff members, the older, especially the older guys, you know, at that point I remember them coming and I don't know if it might have even been purposely done. I'm sure you know like to just put me in my my place but also kind of shift a little bit.

Speaker 1:

Sorry, you go ahead no you're good, it's very challenging and you start to think about these different things and think about how structures work, and the biggest one for me and I think this is probably helpful for everyone listening is realizing that we're all different people right, like, so, your dad's, your dad one, but he's also a business owner and that's a different field that you're working with him in and you got to understand there's a different respect level and that takes time to build and build that trust I mean I would say probably about 10 years in yeah, you know then, like then, eight, eight, probably eight to ten years in you know, like some of the reins started coming loose and the staff started having a lot more trust in me as well, and I think that's where then my father saw and was able to also have that similar kind of trust in me and like step back a little bit, and then I'm very fortunate to have had that many years to work with him because, then it was a mutual.

Speaker 1:

Passing.

Speaker 2:

Learn from each other help each other for many years. Yeah. Where it was more mutual, of course, the last word usually went to him Right. Yes, went to him right, yes, but, um, but it was a symbiotic, you know, relationship for the latter part of us working together, which was uh, which was wonderful, you know yeah, because I think the biggest challenge is anyone early in their career.

Speaker 1:

Everyone's probably sitting there going is he committed, right, is this actually what he wants? And you can only hide that for so long. So for you, I mean, we're in a comparison culture left and right, so how is it for you going through that journey of like, no, I'm in this and I'm committed to this, because not many people commit to things nowadays?

Speaker 2:

No, you're 100% correct, and I don't know if there's any other way to just show it or display it than just putting the time in. And then eventually there's a reward and a certain but did you ever have?

Speaker 1:

The question goes away on its own, absolutely. But I'm saying for you did you ever have a question of like? Was I committed in my mind is this where I'm supposed to be? Should I be somewhere else? Should I be like because I just feel like it's a very challenging environment, especially like?

Speaker 2:

I think I had more of those thoughts and questions prior to, prior to coming back here to work. And you know, like I wasn't, and maybe in the first couple of years, but, then once it just.

Speaker 1:

The train starts going.

Speaker 2:

Once it just went, it just went. You know, exactly Once the train was rolling. It just rolled and next thing you know, 25 years have gone by, but it's been a good 25 years, you know absolutely thankful and for it for the time, the experiences, the relationships, the time I had to work with my father, the relationships I have with the staff, and you know the opportunities yeah, you know I'm proud of it you know, I enjoy what I do.

Speaker 2:

I'm very fortunate. Yeah, a lot of people don't have that luxury, so how do you think people find that?

Speaker 1:

I mean, obviously you found it, but what is it they should look for to find that pride in themselves and pride in the work, because it seems like you're really going through and balancing all of this and it can be very challenging.

Speaker 2:

I think you said it already commitment. Yeah. I think commitment comes with a lot of rewards that people sometimes think, oh, what am I deciding what I'm going to do for the rest of my life? Well, it doesn't actually work that way. It just if you do something and commit to it for the time that you. Decide to, then it works for you, Then it happens right.

Speaker 1:

The more you work, it works for you.

Speaker 2:

Yes, correctly. It goes back and forth, but you can be committed to something even if you're there for a shorter amount of time. It doesn't have to be 25 years, but when you're there be present and give it everything you have. It doesn't have to go home with you. You know, in my case it's.

Speaker 2:

You know that's sometimes that's easier said than done, but, um, I think commitment is the biggest um missing piece today yeah, I think so, and with so many distractions that we have, I mean literally are um just in our social yeah, of course. You know, everything's so quick and fast and our attention is spinning all the time from one thing to another that I think it's going to become harder and harder in time for people to focus on one thing and be committed to it, just as a physiological result of how things are changing.

Speaker 1:

I would completely agree. I think comparing is one of the biggest issues because everyone's seeing so much and when you start to think about it, it's like, oh my God, that person I was actually on a coaching call yesterday and we were talking about it and the one guy's like I don't care about the one girl that I met five years ago about her trip to europe like I just I don't even know why I should know this, like I shouldn't know this about this person, but we share everything on social media and we stay connected in these types of ways and it's like we really need to get back to that organic conversation and those deep relationships which is where I think, from my experience, if you come to a place like Donatello's, it sets the vibe and it sets that engagement and it's like everyone's present because they want to be here.

Speaker 2:

In regards to that arena you know I mean it's important and it's been extremely important for us to create as a business an online presence in social media, in the social media arenas, but it's something that I don't manage for us and I don't do personally because of those reasons.

Speaker 2:

I mean, just as a simple thing. I don't. I think I have a Facebook account personally because someone set one up for me a long time ago and I don't even know how to access it. But I don't Facebook because I face to face, you know, like that's, I don't I, I my friends, people that I come into contact with, are the people that I want to know about.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's extremely important for businesses in today's world to have a strong online presence, but I think personally it can be inhibiting to experiencing life in contact with other people. You're, let's say, getting that from social media, then you're not seeking it amongst friends.

Speaker 1:

I know Well, that's. One of my favorite things about the podcast is because it forces us to be in a deep conversation each and every time and I have to put my phone away and I have to be present and I have to think about that.

Speaker 2:

Well, to bring it back to the restaurant business. You know that's one of my favorite things about what I do, for a living is create an arena, or you know? A table an environment, literally a table for people to sit at and eat and converse and enjoy time together. I mean it's a centerpiece of homes. It's a centerpiece of homes, it's a centerpiece of families. It's, you know, like people come to our business to celebrate. This is the gratifying side of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to run a business like this and all restaurants not just ours.

Speaker 2:

There's a lot of work that goes on behind it, but the true gratification is in watching people enjoy. If we do our jobs well, people step out of their everyday moments, their everyday hustle, bustle, work, whatever, to come together and enjoy a meal together, which is it's sacred, it's godly, you know?

Speaker 1:

I mean, I'm not, I'm not kidding food, no, of course, every single religion has it where they break bread, and they have these meals and these do these things, and yes, I mean, the most fascinating thing that I'm taking away from this right now is that most businesses nowadays, people are like how do I get out of the operations, how do I remove myself? And you're actually going. No, the best part about this, the reason I get the most fulfillment, is because I love the operations. The operations is the delivery of the meals, and the operations is the experience. It's shaking the people's hands on the way in, and I mean, you got me thinking a little bit. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Because it's such a different frame from the conventional. Hey, just build a business, scale yourself Like where's the fulfillment in that and where is the real purpose? So for you I know you've had a lot of celebrities here, you've had incredible events here what are maybe some of these top moments or unique moments that might have occurred?

Speaker 2:

Maybe some of these top moments or unique moments that might have occurred If you say unique, you know I'll tell you a story. What happened in 2023.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, what year are we in 25. It's probably 23.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, 23. I got a call from a friend of mine and a customer that was heading Robert Kennedy Jr's campaign for presidency and it was right at the beginning and this person is from local here from.

Speaker 2:

Brandon Brandon and he asked if I was interested in them in the restaurant hosting their campaign kickoff dinner. Yeah, and I was honored to get that call and we set it up in a couple of weeks and it was a. It was a big success, I'm glad to say. Um, but uh, that was a special night. It happened to be also on the four-year anniversary of my father's passing. Oh wow, just by chance, which was like it just resonates with me that you know it's heavy that that that happened all by coincidence.

Speaker 2:

But um, a neat part of the story is for 25 years the rental company that's down two blocks away from us we use for, if we need a few things for special occasions or events and such. Spoke at when he was in Tampa in 1969, I believe just a few weeks before he went to Dallas, has been there on display at this rental company right and I look at it when I go in the showroom there and immediately it clicked in my head and I called up Randy over there and I was like Randy, I'm going to need the podium.

Speaker 2:

And I told him the story and he was like, yeah for sure, come and get it. So I set it up for them in the private room. And I mean irrelevant of mine or anyone's political affiliation, I mean to have that Robert Kennedy Jr in the restaurant for that day.

Speaker 1:

It's a powerful moment.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it was quite an honor and I was introduced and said a few words to that effect at the beginning of the dinner and I hadn't told him about the podium. I told John, the campaign manager, I had let them know. Of course I okayed it with them before doing it on my own. Yeah, and it was an old beat-up podium, I mean.

Speaker 1:

Why did you bring this one?

Speaker 2:

I don't think he paid attention to it because there was a lot going on, but if you look at it, it was from the 60s right, it's pretty funny, and they still had the presidential seal on it. I had to take it off and remove some things, because of course he wasn't and is not president is not president, but I had him on the side and I let him know, at the same time as I let the room know, that it was the exact same podium, that his uncle had spoken at, and it was pretty special.

Speaker 2:

I love that. I mean, we had also a dinner here in the political arena for honoring General Dempsey and General Petraeus who are from the same class 74 West Point, two four-star generals and were both head of CENTCOM. Back-to-back Dempsey and then Pastor Petraeus, here at MacDill Air Force Base and the night before the change of command ceremony at the base oh, wow they had a dinner here with the majority of their of their graduating class oh cool west point came here to honor the two generals, it was.

Speaker 2:

That was a special night as well. You know brought 130 guests in our dining room and uh, walls have seen things 130 guests in our main dining room. These walls have seen things. Yeah, they have. If these walls could talk, I'm glad they can't, because they've seen a lot of things. But you know, just that's the nature of the business, right? Absolutely.

Speaker 2:

You see a lot of stories that come out of and a lot of fun. Celebrities Magic was here. I keep sorry. I keep naturally turning this way because of the front hall with all the pictures, but we had Magic in here, magic Johnson and Lin Swan. We've had the Stanley Cup in here a couple of times. Yeah, you know, Phyllis.

Speaker 2:

Bozzito bought it in here when we first won it times. Yeah, you know, phil esposito bought it in here when we first won it and, uh, coached another night or weekend that comes to mind was 1991 super bowl. I mean, that's because I was like 15 years old working in here right and there weren't all of the um corporate events yeah back then, like there are now and friday and Saturday night before the Super Bowl, we had pretty much both teams owners of teams coaches from all over the NFL.

Speaker 2:

I remember Daryl Talley, Bruce Smith, Jim Kelly, Phil Simms on crutches because he had broken his leg. Haas Stedler, his replacement, you know, don Shula, dan Marino, oh wow, john Madden. I mean all city. The restaurant was full.

Speaker 1:

Of just celebrity NFL.

Speaker 2:

All NFL celebs, you know.

Speaker 1:

Isn't the crazy thing that like well if I remember the story correctly that your dad actually got brought. He came to tampa for the super bowl maybe a few years before he did for the, for the um raiders?

Speaker 2:

uh, it was, I think, marcus allen yeah the raiders. I think they played washington, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

That's what kind of made him think about Tampa. Start thinking about Tampa, yeah. I don't know exactly what year that was, but it was two or three years prior to him coming back here, and finding the location To do that six years after building it, like you build the Donatello six years later. There's all of these, all the people that you were looking at. It's kind of surreal.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, Now we've been through. It was 91, 2001, and then 20, 2009.

Speaker 1:

Well, there was the 2020 season and then 2021. It was Super Bowl in Tampa, I think it was 2009 also, I think. That's before me. Yeah, I'm not sure.

Speaker 2:

And then 2020.

Speaker 3:

sure, yeah, we've been through four, I guess, superbowls now yeah it's always a fun week I mean it's always a fun week, it's?

Speaker 2:

yeah, you know that you want to talk about a challenge it's a month's worth of business in a week.

Speaker 1:

Right, I was literally in yeah, so me and me and my now wife, we were traveling around the United States in 2020 because everyone was remote and then we learned that the Super Bowl was going to be in Tampa and we're like we've got to come back for the week, like just come back.

Speaker 1:

So we ended up coming back for the week and I actually found my condo that week. But it was just so much hype, so much excitement, so much good stuff going on and you start to realize that we can only show up and be our best in certain moments. Like you know what I mean. We got to have that real hospitality and I feel like that's what gino has been sharing examples of hospitality and how we can implement hospitality into our own lives. So for you, gino, I know the rose has been so paramount, and I mean my wife loves it every single time, my wife loves it every single time.

Speaker 1:

Is that a thing they do in? It'll invent it like was that before that? Or it was just kind of, that was just something that my dad started from the first day.

Speaker 2:

I think that we opened yeah um that every lady that comes in uh receives a rose on the way out, and it's become a bit of a signature aspect of the restaurant, to say the least. Um absolutely and it's tying in again to hospitality absolutely to appreciating um every person that walks in the door now in this case the ladies, but that's part of hospitality as well between you know, the serving them first, opening the door but these types of things.

Speaker 1:

I think the most incredible thing is that it starts to set the example of okay, you get one nice thing, so they ended up getting the rose right as we left the restaurant two weeks ago. You know what I did? I opened the door Because it's just like it starts the like. You just start thinking about it. And now it's more. Every time I come here I feel like I'm at an etiquette class and I'm like, oh, I've got to up that. I've got to up that Because you don't realize how many things you're missing, because our lifestyle doesn't maintain it. And that's what I think is so special about Donatello is that it's constantly maintained to a super high standard. Even on the day we're recording, you're still cleaning stuff up, doing stuff.

Speaker 2:

You're always doing, and I think that's incredible. I think, uh, the biggest thing of hospitality, that the biggest aspect of it is um attentiveness yes, and courtesy. Yeah right, which are two things that we can apply to everyday life yes you know, uh, being attentive towards our fellow human beings that are around us in pretty much any scenario.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

Especially the ones that we care about in a different way, right. But I think applies to any scenario and courtesy which also applies to everyday life that I think everybody benefits from. Yeah. You know it's not something that we do to receive something back. You know it's just to. This is a bit of a cliche, I think, but sharing things forward, yeah, you know.

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean, I think it sets an example and then it kind of pushes everyone to want to do better and be better, and I think that's like one of the reasons I, whenever I go on a run, I wave at everyone, partially because I'm tired, but it distracts me, but I know that there's someone on that run. When I see 50 people, 100 people on Saturday morning, someone's lonely, someone needs just a good morning, and you see their whole face light up and they're like yes, and it's so simple and eye contact deserves some sort of recognition.

Speaker 1:

I'm a person Between people, yeah 100%, not a look away Seriously. There's too often where we're not present with people and we're not focusing on what the other person has and where we're missing and maybe where we can kind of work better with people. So for you obviously do you know, you've been in donatello's for a while now how do you think about the journey of kind of taking on the ship and then steering the ship in the next direction?

Speaker 2:

how do you think about that, because it can be very challenging in the world we're in extremely challenging and par especially uh well, I don't want to say especially because it's challenging for any business of course, moving forward, um, and there's benefits to huge benefits to having been established for 40 years.

Speaker 1:

Of course.

Speaker 2:

But part of that is also consistency. Yeah, so you know people like to get what they expect when they come back here. So the consistency can create. It does create a little bit more of a challenge when it comes to change. Yeah, you know I mean staying relevant in today's business, in today's market and where things are changing so very quickly all the time is, I don't think, applies. There's some things that are unique.

Speaker 1:

But I think there are ways you do it and some of the special event nights you do.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, big time. You know there's. I didn't mean to say that, that we can't improve moving forward and bring in, you know, but there is, you know. Continue the journey of tradition, continue the journey of hospitality, continue the journey of quality right, while still adapting, moving forward to new generation, which we're very fortunate you know the new generation is a big know, which we're very fortunate.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you know, the, the new generation is a big part of our business yeah uh, today, you know absolutely that um thank you yeah you know, but a big part of our business and I, and I'm very happy to say that because it, first of all, it provides us longevity, a future. But it's also nice to see that the nostalgia that Donatello provides when you come in for an experience resonates, with another generation moving forward. Right, it's nice to see that right.

Speaker 1:

I love that because you can think about it, Even me thinking about it. I think I came here a few years back, but that was with my parents and they were like, can we go to that Italian spot again? Because they just enjoyed the experience of what it was. Right, but now you come here with your wife, and then with her.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and, like you said, there's certain qualities or certain things that, when it comes to hospitality or courtesy or service that carry on with you even out the door, yes, yes, so it's nice to see. That was my point. And there are other things that we do, like you were mentioning our event nights actually tonight is actually opera night oh, very cool, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So what's going on with that? What is opera night?

Speaker 2:

opera night is something that we started going back now, maybe 15 years or you know when opera tampa first, um became first was established, and it's in partnership with the Stras, with Opera. Tampa.

Speaker 2:

And they bring in a pianist and seven or eight singers that are with them year round. That's awesome and our baby grand piano that's in the lounge is on wheels, so we put it right in the middle of the dining room. Oh, wow It'll go where the large round table is It'll be there tonight with a glass top. It's actually very cool. And they'll do basically three sets where they sing either in group or solos or duets. There's a female and male set.

Speaker 2:

They're very good and it lends itself very much to our environment and it's a full dining room. Typically Tonight will be full, but it's our service and food and everything open menu. Everything moves around while they're singing and it's quite an awesome event. We try to do that monthly. It usually happens about nine or ten times a year because of some challenges with their opera season and some challenges with our season, and then we also have in Februarybruary in lieu instead of having an opera night, we have a carnival night oh very, it's carnival time all over the world yeah, you know and venice party, part of our restaurant also is bringing the culture of our, not just the food but also the art and the culture in the environment.

Speaker 2:

And Carnival Night is a big one.

Speaker 2:

We do that twice now because of popular demand. We used to do it one night only Now we do it two nights so that more people have a chance to come in and experience it. But even the art like, if you look around, yeah, all of the paintings, or most, all but one, really, um or two, are original works from venice oh, wow or from venetian artists that was a friend of my father that would come over and paint oh really specifically for the space oh wow like all these gold and silver.

Speaker 2:

This is all real gold leaf and silver leaf I brought it. The gentleman's name was Simone Bolla. Oh, wow, and he was an artist and a professor of art at the Accademia in Venice all his life, and he came here on three or four different visits over a 15-year span or something like that and would stay with us for a couple months and paint, and then, as each one, each one was specific for the space, right.

Speaker 2:

And the other one. The Aria frescoes that are around are a Venetian painter by the name of Roberto Merelli that I remember being a little kid and going by and watching him because he would paint outside in his garden oh, wow in his studio, yeah, and he was kind of mean like he would turn all right, get out of here kids. You know like yeah, but. I had the opportunity to meet him later in life oh wow, my uncle was an art dealer yeah, I was friends with him, and Venice is a small city so everybody knows each other.

Speaker 2:

But my uncle and him were friends sometimes and enemies other times. One year, when they were friends, I was going to visit and I said you know, I'd like to meet Mirali. He said, yeah, yeah, let's go. And we went into his studio and I was able to acquire 15 pieces or something from him and I was able to acquire 15 pieces or something from him, and then I sold some and kept what I wanted for the restaurant.

Speaker 2:

My stepmother learned how to work the gold and silver from Simone and she did the whole ceiling in here over a couple of years in our garage when I was in high school. I remember.

Speaker 2:

So everything's hand very unique, very special, yeah so that's what I mean of like the culture is also the culture of our family of venice of our city and carnival is part of it. The masks that are in the in the lounge yeah in our lounge over there. The barn lounge are all original from venice yeah, you know that's. The glasses that are here are all murano hand-blown oh, wow um pieces, and so that's.

Speaker 2:

That's all another beauty of being able to share with people, and not everybody that comes in has to know these things, but they're around.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's the Easter eggs, it's the specialness, it's what makes it unique. And the other big thing I want to bring up is the community service aspect, because that's one of my pillars with Edwards Consulting and I know you guys do community service in a very unique way with your Thanksgiving activity. How did that?

Speaker 2:

start, and what is it exactly? So we have a Thanksgiving luncheon here every year for people that wouldn't necessarily be able to come and dine at Donatello mostly is the intent right, a lot of foster families and foster children and children from FOMS and we work with all the, with the city of Tampa, with Boys and Girls Clubs, with several different organizations. My stepmother organizes all that aspect of it. She's been doing it for years and has her contacts there. But we serve about 1,000 people on Thanksgiving Day in the restaurant. Wow.

Speaker 2:

Like I said, a luncheon, so it's like between 11 and 3 so you know those hours, um, and it's something that started, I think, either the first or second thanksgiving. Yeah, we were open and my dad wanted to do something charitable for the community yeah um and uh, mayor sandy friedman and Mayor Sandy. Friedman and him came up with that idea and I think the first year maybe like 20 people came yeah.

Speaker 1:

It was like something that— you weren't really sure. You're still working through it.

Speaker 2:

But it grew quickly. And now to something that I think the community looks forward to.

Speaker 1:

I 100% agree. I mean, it's a profound thing. When I found out about that the first time, which was earlier today, I told my wife about it and she was like are you serious? And I'm like, yeah, they've been doing this for years and it's 1,000 plus people. And she's like that's so awesome that everyone gets that Donatello experience, even if if it doesn't work out, like that's cool yeah, well it's challenges yeah no, she was just saying it.

Speaker 1:

Not everyone, not everyone can get into the experience, so it's just time, yeah but I'll tell you one beautiful thing about also aspect of that is the.

Speaker 2:

You know we to serve a thousand people is not easy operation is for us is pretty challenging, yeah and it's something that we would not be able to pull off without volunteers coming oh really helping us and people from the community come some every year yeah, some are uh adults that came here for the event really as children, you know oh wow, men yeah or women right that?

Speaker 2:

then come back to help us um provide that service years later. That's happened multiple times, but the community also steps in to help us do that, and I'm into the tune of 50, 60, 70 volunteers every year that come in and work with us. 70 volunteers every year that come in and work with us, including many NFL alumni. As a matter of fact, they have a strong presence that comes and helps us out here as well as and we give all the kids that come through, because it's a lot of kids from different homes and it's a beautiful thing that we provide, but it's kind of it's been it's quite emotional as well.

Speaker 2:

You know, if you will, Then we get. Everybody gets gifts.

Speaker 1:

Oh wow, thanksgiving, we tie Christmas into it as well, right. The holidays and whatnot.

Speaker 2:

we tie Christmas into it as well. Right, the holidays and whatnot. And Miss Kitty that played with us here for 25 years is a Tampa icon. She just passed in January this year. Oh sorry, she would. Her partner, majeed, would come and play in the lounge every Thanksgiving, all the staff volunteers their time yeah to come in and do it. It's a. It's become quite an event for us and for the community, and I mean it's community supported us for 40 years yeah and I.

Speaker 1:

The reason I wanted to dive in on this is because it makes you realize that we all have more than enough. We can all find ways to give and we don't realize how much you might feel that you're in this moment of like I don't have enough, I don't have enough, but like in reality, you look around. I have food, shelter, clothing. I can help other people. Most of us have a thousand shirts Like we have too, many shirts. Give away a shirt.

Speaker 2:

And we can do it more than just once a year or for no particular reason. It doesn't, you know. It seems one aspect of what we do, you know. It's something that has become part of the community. I believe that it's a beautiful thing. The only thing about it is that's a time of year where there's everybody.

Speaker 1:

A lot of new stuff yeah.

Speaker 2:

You understand what I'm saying. A lot of people are doing charitable events for the holidays, for Thanksgiving.

Speaker 1:

Of course.

Speaker 2:

You know I mean, so let's not forget that we can.

Speaker 1:

Give it all moments. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

That's, I think, as important as anything else.

Speaker 1:

And I think bringing in that whole charity component and bringing in that component of hospitality is realizing that you listening to someone, you giving them, asking them about how their day is going, you giving them gratitude.

Speaker 2:

These are all ways to give and be very hospitable to people, because I don't think people really most people just want to have to listen to them yeah they want to have someone and if you give that listening, that's a gift yeah, that's a charitable action as well, if you will, but it's usually gratifying for both sides absolutely you know, we can always learn something from anyone a hundred percent, a hundred percent.

Speaker 1:

So, gino, I know we're winding down. Where can people learn more about Donatello's? Where can they learn more? How do they have the experience? How do they get here? Where are we?

Speaker 2:

I don't know. Look us up online.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's all over. What is their website?

Speaker 2:

DonatelloRestcom.

Speaker 1:

So if you look up Donatello's Tampa and there's thousands of reviews on every single platform and they're mostly five stars, so I mean it's an incredible experience. I would definitely highly recommend coming here and Gino. I really appreciate the time.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, likewise Appreciate you.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, jordan, you also.

Speaker 2:

You're awesome.

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Jordan Edwards

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