Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Suhanosky.
Ron, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
From a very early age I knew he wanted to be a chef. Growing up in Connecticut, I was the pasta tester for my great grandmother’s weekly Sunday meal.
I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1992 at the age of 21 and was one of three students in his graduating class to proceed into a line position in a four star restaurant.
I started to hone my craft as a cook at New York City’s River Café in 1992 and Park Avenue Café in 1993 under chef David Burke. After cooking for three years in NYC, I took a cooks position at Biba in Boston in 1994 with chef Lydia Shire. A year later, after meeting my future wife, we decided to move to Italy and work at the world renowned Il Cibreo in Florence in 1995 with chef Fabio Picci.
As a chef, I headed such kitchens as Boston’s Galleria Italiana in 1996 and Il Buco, New York in 1998 before opening my first restaurant, Sfoglia, with now ex-wife Colleen Marnell-Suhanosky, on Nantucket in 2000. (The Manhattan Sfoglia opened in 2006.)
My true passion, pasta sfoglia, by definition means an uncut sheet of pasta. I released my first cookbook, also called Pasta Sfoglia. (September 29, 2009 – John Wiley and Sons, Inc.) Pasta Sfoglia won a 2010 James Beard Award in the Single Subject Category and made a number of Best Fall Cookbook lists such as: The New York Times, Bon Appetit, Food Arts, Manhattan Magazine, LA Times, AOL FOOD, Epicurious, Gastronomer’s Guide and more. I have since also written another cookbook called The Italian Table (2011 Kyle Books).
Having garnered rave reviews in The New York Times and New York Magazine for both Sfoglia Restaurants, I was a frequent guest on The Martha Stewart Show, as well as The Today Show. He will be appearing on The CBS Early Show on September 24, 2010 for a segment on bringing everyone back to the dinner table.
In addition to the businesses I successfully ran for over ten years, I have also been a private
chef for some high profile households around the country.
Currently, I have a small Italian Cafe called Ronsky’s in Chestnut Hill, MA
During the day, he offers awesome italian coffee drinks, about ten different panini, insalate as well as an assortment of house made baked goods. In the evening I offer private dinners for parties of 6-10 people with Italian inspired menus and wine list.
My attention is on building a new brand and being a father to my three children.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been as smooth as I would have expected. I have been blessed with all my professional experiences but my challenges have been more of a personal struggle and being true to myself. I had to give up everything I worked hard for over a 20 year period in order to be true to myself. You might call it a ‘re-invetion of Ron’ but I am in a very happy place and able to focus on my passion of cooking amazing food and building an experience around that to offer my customers.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Ronsky’s – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Ronsky’s is an Italian inspired cafe that offers quick breakfast and lunch options either to-go or to stay. With 10 seats, you can either sit for the full experience or you can take-away. I have become known for most things that I offer (awesome coffee, the best avocado toast in town, divine scones, a unique version of a meatball panini, amongst many other offerings). What I am most proud of is that I am a one man show and bake, make coffees and prepare everything myself. What sets me apart is that I have become that neighborhood place that people congregate to catch up and enjoy everything that I have to offer. We share our lives with one another.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am planning to open for normal dinner service. which will add another experience to the layer of Ronsky’s
Pricing:
- Cappuccino $3.50
- Scones $3.00
- Meatball Panini $15.00
Contact Info:
- Address: Ronsky’s
3 A Boylston Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467The Street - Website: www.ronskys.com
- Phone: 617-903-2159
- Email: chefronsky@gmail.com
- Instagram: @chefronsky
- Facebook: ronsky’s cafe
- Other: www.chefronsky.tumblr.com
Image Credit:
Ron Suhanosky
Lisa Doane
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