Raised in an old casa colonica among the grape vines, olive trees and extensive vegetable garden of the family property on the northern edge of Florence, Paolo Calamai is an exuberant proponent of Tuscan cuisine in all its earthy glory. He grew up at the twin elbows of his paternal grandmother and mother, learning the repertoire of Florentine classics that brought the extended family together at mealtimes. In the restaurant business since age 16, he has worked with some of the most renowned Italian chefs & restaurateurs on two continents, including Fabio Picchi of Ristorante Cibrèo in Florence.

Paolo’s wife and co-owner, Elizabeth Petrosian, is a Detroit native with a MA in English who spent 12 years in Florence, managing to master both the subjunctive and the Florentine accent (sort of). She has worked at Michael Mina’s Aqua in San Francisco and at Gramercy Tavern in NYC. Along with their two children, they moved from Florence to Portland in 2013.