In a great piece in Sactown Magazine, Anita Chabria uncovers why former chef at The Kitchen left a dream gig, but and also why he didn't leave for greener pastures.
But he’s hardly the kid with his hands in the suds anymore. Growing older, the 37-year-old Zonca says, made him seriously consider the “scary” proposition of striking out on his own. “I knew that if I stayed until I was 40 I’d probably be there the rest of my life,” he adds. So he quit. With no plan.
He headed out of town to visit his mom in Wisconsin, then did a culinary tour of cities such as Chicago, L.A. and San Francisco. He realized he had options, “worldwide options,” he says. But he also has a son at Rio Americano High School, so he headed back to Sacramento, a place he describes as having “a small town kind of style because everybody knows everybody and I like that fact, but it’s still enough city for me."
Soon after coming home, Lobley, who had been trying for the past eight years to get Zonca to partner with him, got in touch. He managed to grab Zonca’s attention with The Dime (as insiders are abbreviating it) at 18th and L in the space formerly occupied by L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen, despite an offer from another restaurant group. At first, Zonca signed on as a consultant with a small ownership percentage, but quickly became a full partner and worked with Lobley to incorporate high-end foodie standards into a low-cost concept.
The story is a great read. Read the entire thing in Sactown Mag.
I recently paid a return to visit after my good but not great first visit. In the ensuing three months, the place has really improved. While I only sampled their happy hour fare, their cooking was more precise and their service had sharpened. I look forward to future visits, especially on their Wine Wednesdays.
Click here for more stories about Capital Dime.
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