Chef Donato Scotti opens his fourth restaurant in the Bay Area, partnering with longtime friend and fellow chef Gianluca Guglielmi to bring contemporary Italian to Berkeley

Berkeley, Calif., October 12, 2017—Donato Scotti, chef and proprietor of Donato Enoteca and CRU in Redwood City, and DESCO in Oakland, has partnered with fellow Italian chef and longtime friend Gianluca Guglielmi to open Donato & Co. today. Located in Berkeley’s Elmwood district, Donato & Co. showcases rustic Italian cuisine with a contemporary twist, featuring house-made pastas and locally sourced seafood and meats cooked over a fire.

The menu reflects the chefs’ culinary philosophies of using fresh, simple ingredients in inventive ways. Expect to see unique selections like Insalata di Baccala with crispy pasta and fried parsley, Carnaroli Risotto with Nebbiolo braised beef oxtail, and house-madePizzocheri ravioli with Swiss chard and potatoes. The menu changes frequently based on seasonal availability and takes inspiration from all regions of Italy. Wine and cocktails play a central role in the restaurant, with an approachable drink list that includes small-production wines and craft cocktails.

The menu at Donato & Co. is organized into four sections: Farm & Fields, with a selection of salads, vegetarian and vegan dishes; Salt & Water, featuring seafood, shellfish and cured items, Pasta & Co., with an array of house-made pasta, risotto and other grains; and Iron & Fire, featuring foods cooked over a live fire. Many dishes are available in both small and large sizes, and nothing is over $30. The small dessert menu is driven by Chef Guglielmi’s passion for and deep knowledge of Italian pastries and sweets.

Overseen by Chef Scotti, the Donato & Co. wine list focuses on Italian imports, with a selection of French and Northern Californian producers rounding out the selection. At least 20 wines are offered by the glass, half bottle, and bottle. Cocktails feature Italian-inspired contemporary and classic cocktails that incorporate fresh juices and small batch spirits. The restaurant’s coffee and espresso drinks are made with imported beans from one of the most sought-after coffee producers in Europe—Gianni Frasi’s Laboratorio di Torrefazione Giamaica Caffè.

Donato & Co.’s interior was designed by Chef Scotti and his longtime friend and interior designer, Anna Klint of Iron Skirt. The warm, welcoming space features a 20-foot bar along the left wall, with seating for 125 guests in the main dining room. Soft greens, greys and wood tones fill the space, and two oversized black-and-white photographs of Scotti’s hometown of Bergamo grace the right wall. A vintage Vespa perched in the center of the room is a playful conversation starter.

At Donato & Co., guests will never strain to hear their dining companions, thanks to a state-of-the-art Constellation and Libra acoustic system from Berkeley’s renowned Meyer Sound. Along with the base acoustic design, Constellation allows restaurants to control their sonic ambiance with a suite of innovative technologies, including room microphones, advanced signal processing, and self-powered loudspeakers. Working together unobtrusively in the background these elements shape a room’s acoustics, ensuring consistently comfortable conversations, no matter the size of the table or the restaurant occupancy level. Restaurant staff can maintain the perfect buzz level with the touch of an iPad screen. Libra is a system of custom-designed acoustic wall panels that provide effective sound absorption, which is key to optimal acoustic environments. Each Libra panel, featuring O’Grady’s photography, adds an extraordinary visual element while also playing a crucial role in creating an ideal aural environment. Together, Constellation and Libra, in conjunction with the acoustic design of the space, create a multi-sensory dining experience, where conversation is heard crisply, without distractions from music, background noise, or voices from neighboring tables. This cutting-edge installation allows guests to relax and enjoy the distinctive Donato & Co. experience.

Donato & Co. is open for dinner Monday through Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday5-10 p.m. and Sunday 5-9 p.m., with lunch and weekend brunch expected to start later this fall. The restaurant is located at 2635 Ashby Avenue in Berkeley. For additional information, please visit www.donatoandco.com.

About the Chefs 
Chef Scotti grew up in a small town near Bergamo, Italy, where he studied at the Instituto Alberghiero di San Pellegrino culinary school and learned his craft in various Michelin-starred restaurants in Bergamo. He then moved to the United States at the age of 21 and held positions of increasing responsibility at such restaurants as the legendary Valentino in Los Angeles and Il Fornaio in the Bay Area. In 2004, Scotti designed and opened La Strada in Palo Alto, before establishing Donato Enoteca in Redwood City in 2009, then Desco in Old Oakland in 2013, and CRU in November 2016. He met Chef Guglielmi in 1999, beginning a longtime friendship and collaborative cooking partnership. Donato & Co. is the first of several restaurant concepts that the two expect to create together.

Chef Guglielmi grew up in Vicenza, Italy, surrounded by a family of chefs, and began working at his family’s gastronomia at the age of 13. He attended Italy’s famous culinary school, Recoaro Terme, then worked at a succession of highly regarded Michelin-starred Italian restaurants. In 1993, he opened his own wine bar and gastronomia, Il Vicolo. When he moved to the Bay Area in 1998, he became executive chef, food research and development, and vice president at A.G. Ferrari Foods. He returned to Italy in 2010 and opened Ristorante La Berlera in Riva del Garda where he worked side by side with his wife and son.