Who knew a restaurant’s name could become a family affair. “Literally, We got the name from all of ours put together: my name; my mother’s, Ana; and my father’s, Frank,” said former SBCC student Giovanni Contreras, a 1997 City College culinary arts graduate and owner of Gianfranco’s Trattoria. He is now 36 and the head chef of Gianfranco’s Trattoria, which opened a month ago and has been busy ever since. The first day the restaurant opened, “a hundred people were lined outside the door,” said Ana Contreras. The whole family is amazed with the response of Carpinteria and neighboring cities to this new quaint Italian restaurant. No ads were put out, according to Giovanni. The word was spread by mouth. “People keep coming up to me and saying, ‘Oh so and so told me to come and I loved the food!’ so we don’t need ads!” Giovanni said.

Guests are greeted at the door and seated by Mrs. Contreras, who then takes them to their table and places a linen cloth on their lap. One of the four servers then greets customers with smiles and the meal begins. The atmosphere is very relaxed and open. Giovanni frequently exits his kitchen to go about the tables greeting the guests. Before they leave, many compliment and thank Giovanni personally, and bid farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Contreras.

“He has such a warm and caring heart that he shows to those he works with,” said Mrs. Contreras of her son. “This is a really close-knit restaurant with the staff and the guest who come here,” said Sandy, a server at Gianfranco’s Trattoria who was working at another restaurant when she was offered a job at Gianfranco’s.

Even on a Thursday night the place is filled to where guests, mostly middle-aged, are waiting on the sidewalks. A reservation is required to dine at the small restaurant, equipped with nine linen-covered tables and a bar. Though small, they are still wheelchair accessible.

“He’s a very old soul with a very warm heart,” said Giovanni’s mother as she refers to the Marilyn Monroe, The Rat Pack and Al Capone framed photos on the walls among other famous and infamous stars of that era.

“The food is terrific and we needed one of these in Carpinteria. They will succeed, but they just need to get situated” said Kathy Henry, a third time guest at Gianfranco’s Trattoria.

Giovanni gained experience working in Thousand Oaks at the Hyatt and for a catering company. “Giovanni was focused on what he wanted and pursued it,” Mrs. Contreras said. Giovanni added that he used to watch old cooking shows like those of Julia Child, and he and his family had always shared a passion for cooking. He got serious one year ago about opening a restaurant, and while strolling down Linden Ave. he saw a deli shop for sale and saw its potential.

Christina Nix, a counselor at City College, did the same thing when she was strolling down Linden Ave. and peered into a new restaurant when she was invited inside for a preview before its opening. It wasn’t until casual conversation that City College was mentioned. “I found out Giovanni went here and I told him I would mention him. I think it’s important that we support our SBCC students even when they are out of school.”