Frank Bonanno

Chef/Proprietor

Frank Bonanno places an octopus tentacle on his tongue and the look on his face can be summed up in a single word. Passion. Bonanno lovingly fingers a nearby bottle of 100 year old balsamic vinegar and explains “I had a great childhood. Most of who I am today comes from the food I was fortunate enough to be exposed to at a very early age.” The aroma of pastries and pastas from his Sicilian grandmother permeated Bonanno’s New Jersey home where he and his mother tried out old Julia Childs’ recipes on the family. Bonanno’s award winning restaurants–Mizuna and Luca D’Italia–reflect that upbringing, as well as the later influences of his education at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, and cooking stints at some of the finest eateries in Italy, California, New York, and at home in Denver.

Bonanno landed at Mizuna after a four year gig at Mel’s Bar and Grill, where he met business partner and longtime friend Doug Fleishman. Mel’s provided Bonanno with some of the experiences that have come to flavor the dishes at Mizuna.