Il Fornaio
Encyclopedia
Il Fornaio is a chain of twenty-two (as of 2011) Italian
-themed fine dining restaurants operating primarily in California
(17 locations of its 22) in the United States. Il Fornaio also operates 2 bakeries (panificios) in California.
, Italy (in the Lombardia region). It opened a retail bakery in Milan
in 1975, and was licensed in 1981 to Williams-Sonoma
as a retail bakery concept. Williams-Sonoma opened four locations in California before selling the business to private investors in 1983. Initially unsuccessful, the chain was re-sold in 1986 to Larry Mindel, who had run local restaurant holding company Spectrum Foods and launched or bought a series of successful restaurants: Chianti in Los Angeles; Prego (one of the originators of California-style pizza
), MacArthur Park, and Ciao in San Francisco; and Guyamas in Tiburon
.
The new owners opened a total of 11 restaurant-bakeries in California in late 1980s and 1990s. The first restaurant location and headquarters are in Corte Madera, California
, the second in San Francisco. They then branched out to Las Vegas, Nevada
, Colorado
, and Virginia
, opening a total of 22 by 2008.
In 1997 the company became publicly traded
on the NASDAQ
stock exchange. By 2000 the company had $124 million annual revenues. The company was eventually taken private again in a leveraged buyout
. Mindel sold most of his equity and retired from daily operations of the group in 2001 (his son, Michael, continued and was Vice President of Marketing as of 2008), and in 2003 opened Poggio at the Casa Madrona Hotel in Sausalito
as a personal project. Headquarters is in Corte Madera, California
.
Under the direction of Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon, a native of Venice, the company launched a second concept, Canaletto Ristorante Veneto, at the Venetian in Las Vegas in 1999, with a second location in 2008 in Fashion Island
shopping mall in Newport Beach, California
.
Roark Capital Group
bought the company in 2011.
Each restaurant features a bakery
that bakes its own bread. There is a core menu for all of the restaurants created collectively by their chefs, plus signature dishes and specials at the discretion of each chef. In addition, the group markets ciabatta
, sourdough
, and other bread to supermarkets throughout California.
Overall, the company caters mostly to repeat guests and does not market extensively. Regular customers averaged 12.7 return visits per year (later reported to be 17), considered very high in the industry. The company is known for its long-running "passport" loyalty program
promotion Two weeks out of every month the restaurants promote dishes from a rotating schedule of Italy's 20 food regions with a special insert. The 10,000 promotion members receive a "passport stamp" from that region if they order one of the items, and those who collect all twenty stamps receive gifts and sweepstakes entries. As an unintended benefit, the promotion became a vehicle for recruiting cooks and chefs, after tourism offices in Italy noticed the promotion and established relationships with the company.
Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BCE. Italian cuisine in itself takes heavy influences, including Etruscan, ancient Greek, ancient Roman, Byzantine, Jewish and Arab cuisines...
-themed fine dining restaurants operating primarily in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(17 locations of its 22) in the United States. Il Fornaio also operates 2 bakeries (panificios) in California.
History
The Il Fornaio brand was established in 1972 as a baking school in BarlassinaBarlassina
Barlassina is a comune in the Province of Monza and Brianza in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 20 km north of Milan.-External links:*...
, Italy (in the Lombardia region). It opened a retail bakery in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1975, and was licensed in 1981 to Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a high-end American consumer retail company that sells kitchenwares, furniture and linens, as well as other housewares and home furnishings, along with a variety of specialty foods, soaps and lotions...
as a retail bakery concept. Williams-Sonoma opened four locations in California before selling the business to private investors in 1983. Initially unsuccessful, the chain was re-sold in 1986 to Larry Mindel, who had run local restaurant holding company Spectrum Foods and launched or bought a series of successful restaurants: Chianti in Los Angeles; Prego (one of the originators of California-style pizza
California-style pizza
California-style pizza is a style of single-serving pizza that combines New York and Italian thin crust with toppings from the California cuisine cooking style. Wolfgang Puck popularized this style of pizza...
), MacArthur Park, and Ciao in San Francisco; and Guyamas in Tiburon
Tiburon, California
Tiburon is an incorporated town in Marin County, California. It occupies most of the Tiburon Peninsula, which reaches south into the San Francisco Bay. The smaller city of Belvedere occupies the south-east part of the peninsula and is contiguous with Tiburon...
.
The new owners opened a total of 11 restaurant-bakeries in California in late 1980s and 1990s. The first restaurant location and headquarters are in Corte Madera, California
Corte Madera, California
Corte Madera is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Corte Madera is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of 39 feet . The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census...
, the second in San Francisco. They then branched out to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, opening a total of 22 by 2008.
In 1997 the company became publicly traded
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange. By 2000 the company had $124 million annual revenues. The company was eventually taken private again in a leveraged buyout
Leveraged buyout
A leveraged buyout occurs when an investor, typically financial sponsor, acquires a controlling interest in a company's equity and where a significant percentage of the purchase price is financed through leverage...
. Mindel sold most of his equity and retired from daily operations of the group in 2001 (his son, Michael, continued and was Vice President of Marketing as of 2008), and in 2003 opened Poggio at the Casa Madrona Hotel in Sausalito
Sausalito, California
Sausalito is a San Francisco Bay Area city, in Marin County, California, United States. Sausalito is south-southeast of San Rafael, at an elevation of 13 feet . The population was 7,061 as of the 2010 census. The community is situated near the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and prior to...
as a personal project. Headquarters is in Corte Madera, California
Corte Madera, California
Corte Madera is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Corte Madera is located south of San Rafael, at an elevation of 39 feet . The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census...
.
Under the direction of Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon, a native of Venice, the company launched a second concept, Canaletto Ristorante Veneto, at the Venetian in Las Vegas in 1999, with a second location in 2008 in Fashion Island
Fashion Island
Fashion Island is an upscale open-air lifestyle center in Newport Beach, California . Fashion Island is owned by The Irvine Company.-History:...
shopping mall in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
.
Roark Capital Group
Roark Capital Group
Roark Capital Group is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout investments in middle-market companies primarily in consumer and business services companies. Roark has historically focused on the franchise, food and restaurant, specialty retail, environmental services, waste management,...
bought the company in 2011.
Description
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
that bakes its own bread. There is a core menu for all of the restaurants created collectively by their chefs, plus signature dishes and specials at the discretion of each chef. In addition, the group markets ciabatta
Ciabatta
Ciabatta is an Italian white bread made with wheat flour and yeast. The loaf is somewhat elongated, broad and flattish. There are many variations of ciabatta.Ciabatta in its modern form was developed in 1982...
, sourdough
Sourdough
Sourdough is a dough containing a Lactobacillus culture, usually in symbiotic combination with yeasts. It is one of two principal means of biological leavening in bread baking, along with the use of cultivated forms of yeast . It is of particular importance in baking rye-based breads, where yeast...
, and other bread to supermarkets throughout California.
Overall, the company caters mostly to repeat guests and does not market extensively. Regular customers averaged 12.7 return visits per year (later reported to be 17), considered very high in the industry. The company is known for its long-running "passport" loyalty program
Loyalty program
Loyalty programs are structured marketing efforts that reward, and therefore encourage, loyal buying behavior — behavior which is potentially beneficial to the firm....
promotion Two weeks out of every month the restaurants promote dishes from a rotating schedule of Italy's 20 food regions with a special insert. The 10,000 promotion members receive a "passport stamp" from that region if they order one of the items, and those who collect all twenty stamps receive gifts and sweepstakes entries. As an unintended benefit, the promotion became a vehicle for recruiting cooks and chefs, after tourism offices in Italy noticed the promotion and established relationships with the company.