The charm and warmth of Italian essence resonates with us through its mouthwatering cuisine. Brimming with taste, color, life, and freshness, it’s a favorite among Americans. Finding authentic, Italian cuisine can be a challenge, with limited access in greater Minnesota regions like Fillmore County. This month, that changes as Rushford welcomes a new restaurant, Il Luigi.
Owner and chef Luis Jara is originally from Ecuador and has always had a passion for food. When he was young, he watched his mother cook and questioned why she prepared food as she did or why she added certain spices. He questioned the texture and the taste. Now, years later, with experience, he instinctively knows just what to do, what to add, and what to improve.
Jara is most passionate about Italian cuisine. “I love the pastas, meats, and style. I love it,” he enthuses. “I prefer traditional, fresh, homemade dishes.” This is what he hopes to bring to a new family restaurant, in the historic, two-story limestone building in the heart of Rushford on Mill Street, which has been vacant for more than two years.
Jara first trained as a chef in the French restaurant, Salt and Pepper, in New York. “I learned a lot there, gaining experience,” he says, noting he also likes the flair and flavor of French cooking. Throughout the years, Jara continued to learn amidst the action of the kitchen of 15 Italian restaurants, watching and listening from others chefs, while improving his own culinary talents.
As a chef, Jara says he opened his first Italian eatery, Zitella, in New York City in the ‘90s, when a friend, who previously owned the restaurant, approached him and wanted to bring him in because of Luis’ style and understanding of food. “I was excited, but anxious. It was a big step; a big responsibility to open a restaurant.”
His time at Zitella was a career turning point and Jara credits this as the catalyst for his restaurant vision. “It was there I started my dream,” he adds. “I prayed, ‘God help me. I do not have the money, but this is my dream.’ I felt, ‘Have faith. It will come to you.’”
Jara says he opened four more restaurants as chef throughout the years including Carpaccio, Mezzanotte, and Il Tuscano, all in Miami, Fla., and Puccini and Pasta in Memphis, Tenn. The Miami experiences are Jara’s most memorable. “Will people like the food? What will be people’s reaction? I was very happy to have many people coming to the restaurants with praise and compliments on the food, service and quality.”
But, Jara says the praise is humbling. “It makes me happy and pleased and I want to do more, better.”
Eight months ago, Jara again felt drawn to a vision. This time it was to go out and live close to the farms of Minnesota. “I was shown green mountains,” he says. When his daughter took part in a soccer camp in Winona this summer, Jara and his wife, Iris, decided to drive out into the countryside looking for a farm they’d seen advertising fresh eggs. He admits he was a bit concerned about driving up a gravel valley road and it led them to head the other way into Rushford. They noted the Grace Place Thrift Store, which his wife liked, and The Creamery, where the family had ice cream. Then they saw the ‘Great business opportunity’ sign the Chamber of Commerce had placed in the vacant building on Mill Street. “My wife said, ‘This is your dream!’” The couple went to the city to get contact information for Jerry Rivers, who owns the property and toured the building the next day. A day later, they put down a deposit.
Since then, Jara and his family have been busy making preparations for opening. New, bright paint colors adorn the walls and a small bar will replace the old buffet. Eventually, they hope to add new tables, linens, and napkins, but for now are making do with what’s on hand.
Jara says he will try out dishes he believes people will like, wanting to see both what people will expect and what they like. A tasting event will be held before the restaurant officially opens to the public, where Jara hopes to introduce the restaurant to community business people, the chamber board, mayor, and council. He hopes to open to the public by October 26.
Both his wife, who creates desserts, and two sons will assist with the restaurant. Diego will serve as the manager, while John, who is training to become a chef, will assist with food preparation. Hours of operation are slated for Sunday through Saturday, beginning with 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
I love the expression of the food I create,” says Jara. “I am excited. I love the food and I put that love in the food. I want to make people happy.”
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