We heard that '90s nostalgia is very real right now
A juicy chat with il Buco founder Donna Lennard on the latest Radio Cherry Bombe
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“If you were in New York in the ‘90s, you were cool.”
Donna Lennard opened il Buco in 1994 on a bumpy cobblestone path called Bond Street. And truly, the road to becoming a restaurant was also a bumpy one. In fact, il Buco wasn’t supposed to be a restaurant. It was a place to store an impressive stash of antiques. (Long story short, Donna and her partner, Alberto, were setting up a business exporting Americana antiques to Italy and Spain, where rustic Pennsylvania hutches were apparently in hot demand.)
So now that long, wooden table in the restaurant makes a lot more sense, right?
Soon after moving into the former artist’s studio, friends kept popping by the space and out came a bottle of wine, salami and cheese, and a bowl of soup. The gatherings became dinners. The dinners got bigger. And then came the liquor license. A restaurant was born.
Donna revisits those early days this week with host Kerry Diamond on an episode of Radio Cherry Bombe that includes a stolen diamond ring, wistful $150,000 real estate deals, a salumi operation shut down by the Department of Health, and a really great kale salad. A friend of Kerry’s describes Donna as “a naturally talented creative who wears her success lightly.” When she tells one wild story after another in a calm, meditative voice, you can feel it.
We also loved Donna’s story because, in this world of pitch decks and fundraising, she made a restaurant by just having people over. The fantastic food (and wine) on the table was the pitch deck. It was messy. Some of it was kinda illegal. But babe, it was the ‘90s.
Fun Fact:
“Il Buco” means “hole in the wall,” in this instance, and was inspired by a wooden board that the former tenant had hanging outside the space, with a large hole in the center, painted in gold leaf.
il Buco Alumni:
Chances are, if you’re a person who loves restaurants, you know a chef who started their career at il Buco: Jody Williams, Justin Smillie, Sara Jenkins, Ignacio Mattos… the list goes on.
A Coffee Contraption We Didn’t Know About:
Donna makes a cortado every morning with a rabbit-ear style coffee press. Had no idea about this! Hers is vintage from Berlin, of course. But this looks close.
Kale Salad 4 Life
What’s always on the menu at il Buco restaurants? This salad! The key is Tuscan kale, lots of anchovies, and homemade Caesar dressing with lemon, garlic, and more anchovies. Yum.
More Radio Cherry Bombe
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🎧 The Tuscan Life With Cookbook Author Amber Guinness
🎧 The Coolest Lady In Food, Ruthie Rogers Of The River Cafe In London
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