TAMPA, Fla. — What started out as a popular movie is quickly becoming a tasty tradition for one Ybor City restaurant.
Guests have watched Chef Moses sizzle up delicious dishes in the Bernini kitchen for years, but having nine Nonnas carefully inspecting his every ingredient is a whole new experience.
Nonna means grandmother in Italian.
“You can be a grandmother, but being a Nonna is special because it comes with all the family traditions from years past,” said Marilyn Messina.
When it comes to Italian grandmothers, their biggest tradition is the food. So, Bernini owner Jason Fernandez decided to team up with his own mother, Vivian, to create Nonna Nights.
“The inspiration is from the Vince Vaughn movie 'Nonnas,' I was watching the movie, and it inspired me,” said Fernandez.
Jason sat down with Nonnas from across Tampa and put together a menu straight from the old country.
“These are all my friends; I didn’t give them a choice,” said Vivian.
These Nonnas say it’s an honor to share their family recipes with the rest of Tampa Bay.
“I love to cook, and it’s just exciting to present dishes to maybe someone who has never had them before,” said Shirley Iavarone.
Each Nonna weaves in their own personal touch, and Chef Moses puts it altogether like a symphony of tomatoes, cheese and noodles.
“We didn’t throw food on each other like they did in the movie, but we came close to having it done,” said Vivian.
“It’s definitely interesting, I’ve been missing something,” said Chef Moses, who said he’s learning a few tricks of the trade while working with so many talented grandmothers.
So far, Nonna Nights have been a mouthwatering hit.
“People were hugging and kissing, we were taking pictures with everybody,” said Messina. “I’m going to tell you this has been one of the highlights of my senior years.”
However, don’t forget about the grandfathers, or in Italian, Nonnos. They are currently working on their own special menu.
Jason says his favorite part of the whole experience is the people.
“Spending time with family and having old Tampa coming back into our restaurant, we just celebrated 30 years at Bernini,” said Fernandez.
The next Nonna Night is Oct. 16 at 7 p.m., and the next Nonno Night is Oct. 26 at noon and Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. For reservations, call 813-242-9555.
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