The snow isn’t the only thing that’s back in Verona this season. Bella Gente Trattoria and Ristorante wants restaurant-goers in town to know that Chef Angelo is back in its kitchen.
Chef Angelo has been a stalwart of the Bella Gente kitchen. He started there in 2004 and trained under Bella Gente chefs Augusto, Pietro and Nicolina, before coming into his own in 2009. But in December 2012, Chef Angelo had to return to his home country and the restaurant cast about for a replacement. “We did our best to find somebody,” says owner Kim Cheung, “but nobody cooks like him. The food quality went down.”
The chef returned to his Verona stove in November 2013 and set about getting his signature dishes back in top shape. Dishes like Linguine Vespucci (jumbo shrimp, sun-dried tomato, arugula), Pollo alla Valdostana (chicken breast stuffed with fontina and prosciutto) and Veal Della Casa (stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella and prosciutto).
“I want to offer my sincere apologies to anyone who had a bad meal here last year,” says Cheung. “We finally got Chef Angelo back and he’s back to stay.”
Bella Gente is located at 640-644 Bloomfield Avenue in the center of Verona. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 9 p.m. It has both a traditional dining room and a casual trattoria room.
