Be Your Own Boss
It was fascination
A fascination with bakery operations instilled in young Cesar Montano a dream of putting up a bakeshop one day—today he owns a classy restaurant
By Icy Luzano
The Bellissimo Ristorante is something that actor Cesar Montano had envisioned long ago when he was still a child. At that time, he would stay up till the wee hours of the morning watching pan de sal being made by the bakers in a neighboring panaderia (bakery). So fascinated was he by the process that he swore to have his own small bakeshop one day.
What he has put up, however, is not just a humble panaderia but a P3-million restaurant venture. Bellissimo Ristorante on Scout Castor corner Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City offers authentic Italian dishes—from pizza to pasta to the finest in wines. It serves food good for two for prices that start at P200 up, and takes pride in using mostly imported ingredients, particularly the best cheeses from Italy.
The inspiration for Bellissimo—an Italian word that loosely means “very beautiful”—came from Montano’s restaurant-hopping during visits to Italy as well as from his love for everything that comes naturally. Indeed, it is no accident that he opened the restaurant on the 7th day of the 7th month of 2007.
Montano and his chef, Sherwin dela Peņa, put together the menu for Bellissimo. They did it the way it’s done in Italy, making use of only the freshest of raw ingredients. Keeping the Filipino palate in mind, however, they made certain adjustments to give the food a Pinoy twist.
“Almost everything on the menu I can cook myself,” Montano says, “and I have the knack for knowing when food lacks this or that ingredient. Alam ko kung anong sobra at anong kulang.”
He says that except for its name, which he admits initially sounded to him like that of a beauty salon, Bellissimo is “almost entirely Cesar Montano.” He designed the interiors of the restaurant himself, making sure that it exudes both the comforts of home and the feel of an authentic Italian restaurant.
On display in the restaurant is his personal collection of books about Italy as well as his personal selection of bread and wine. On the ground floor, black-and-white still photographs of the Italian Mafia taken from The Godfather movie series provide accent to the brick walls and the wooden chairs and tables.
The second floor, which Montano calls an “artists’ haven,” puts on exhibit his paintings and those of his friends. A table at the corner of the smoking area—he calls the area the “Tarantino Room”—bears the signature of Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, one of the many celebrity-customers who have dined at Bellissimo.
Acoustic bands perform regularly at Bellissimo, and on some occasions, Montano himself takes time out to jam with the musicians and serenade the guests. “The ambiance of this restaurant isn’t stiff,” he says. “It’s casual. You don’t have to dress up to come here.”
Bellissimo is managed by Montano’s eldest daughter Angela, and her husband, Christopher Canlas. But as in a movie production, Montano says, it is important for a restaurant owner to be hands-on in running the business. This is why in between his show-business commitments, he drops by the restaurant almost every day and personally attends to the guests.
Montano credits the warm reception customers have given Bellissimo to his being a popular show-business personality. It has made it much easier for him to whet their curiosity and get them to try the restaurant. “The real challenge, however, is getting them to come back,” he says. “Ultimately, a restaurant’s success still boils down to whether your food is good or bad.”
In any case, beginner’s luck seems to have been working well for Montano. Only a year after opening the restaurant, he now plans to branch out. If things continue to look good for Bellissimo, he says, he might put up a branch within the year.
“We’re still a young restaurant,” he says. “That makes us more willing to experiment and to discover new things. I don’t think of the money part right now. Instead, I am always thinking of quality and how to improve it every time. Hindi ko bibitawan ito [I won’t let go of this].”
By far, Montano admits that being an entrepreneur is one of the most challenging roles he has taken on. And how has the experience been so far?
“Bellissimo!” he answers.
CONTACT DETAILS
BELLISSIMO RISTORANTE
Units E & F, 105 Scout Castor St.
corner Tomas Morato Ave.,
Quezon City
Telephones: (02) 376-5746;
(02) 414-0247; (02) 411-8335
What he has put up, however, is not just a humble panaderia but a P3-million restaurant venture. Bellissimo Ristorante on Scout Castor corner Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City offers authentic Italian dishes—from pizza to pasta to the finest in wines. It serves food good for two for prices that start at P200 up, and takes pride in using mostly imported ingredients, particularly the best cheeses from Italy.
The inspiration for Bellissimo—an Italian word that loosely means “very beautiful”—came from Montano’s restaurant-hopping during visits to Italy as well as from his love for everything that comes naturally. Indeed, it is no accident that he opened the restaurant on the 7th day of the 7th month of 2007.
Montano and his chef, Sherwin dela Peņa, put together the menu for Bellissimo. They did it the way it’s done in Italy, making use of only the freshest of raw ingredients. Keeping the Filipino palate in mind, however, they made certain adjustments to give the food a Pinoy twist.
“Almost everything on the menu I can cook myself,” Montano says, “and I have the knack for knowing when food lacks this or that ingredient. Alam ko kung anong sobra at anong kulang.”
He says that except for its name, which he admits initially sounded to him like that of a beauty salon, Bellissimo is “almost entirely Cesar Montano.” He designed the interiors of the restaurant himself, making sure that it exudes both the comforts of home and the feel of an authentic Italian restaurant.
On display in the restaurant is his personal collection of books about Italy as well as his personal selection of bread and wine. On the ground floor, black-and-white still photographs of the Italian Mafia taken from The Godfather movie series provide accent to the brick walls and the wooden chairs and tables.
The second floor, which Montano calls an “artists’ haven,” puts on exhibit his paintings and those of his friends. A table at the corner of the smoking area—he calls the area the “Tarantino Room”—bears the signature of Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino, one of the many celebrity-customers who have dined at Bellissimo.
Acoustic bands perform regularly at Bellissimo, and on some occasions, Montano himself takes time out to jam with the musicians and serenade the guests. “The ambiance of this restaurant isn’t stiff,” he says. “It’s casual. You don’t have to dress up to come here.”
Bellissimo is managed by Montano’s eldest daughter Angela, and her husband, Christopher Canlas. But as in a movie production, Montano says, it is important for a restaurant owner to be hands-on in running the business. This is why in between his show-business commitments, he drops by the restaurant almost every day and personally attends to the guests.
Montano credits the warm reception customers have given Bellissimo to his being a popular show-business personality. It has made it much easier for him to whet their curiosity and get them to try the restaurant. “The real challenge, however, is getting them to come back,” he says. “Ultimately, a restaurant’s success still boils down to whether your food is good or bad.”
In any case, beginner’s luck seems to have been working well for Montano. Only a year after opening the restaurant, he now plans to branch out. If things continue to look good for Bellissimo, he says, he might put up a branch within the year.
“We’re still a young restaurant,” he says. “That makes us more willing to experiment and to discover new things. I don’t think of the money part right now. Instead, I am always thinking of quality and how to improve it every time. Hindi ko bibitawan ito [I won’t let go of this].”
By far, Montano admits that being an entrepreneur is one of the most challenging roles he has taken on. And how has the experience been so far?
“Bellissimo!” he answers.
CONTACT DETAILS
BELLISSIMO RISTORANTE
Units E & F, 105 Scout Castor St.
corner Tomas Morato Ave.,
Quezon City
Telephones: (02) 376-5746;
(02) 414-0247; (02) 411-8335
