It Started As a Dream
Two people who'd never met came together and combined their individual dreams to open one restaurant—Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth.
Paula grew up Paula Di Girolamo in a mostly Italian-American neighborhood in New Jersey near New York City. She married and had two daughters. Tracey lives in Coralville, Iowa, and helps to run a construction company with her husband Jeromie Molina. They have two children, Brett and Madison. Jessica lives in Chicago and is in sales.
Coming from Sicilian heritage and having abundant family living close by, Paula grew up with warm memories and absolutely wonderful food. Her mom Sally loved to cook and always had extended family and friends at her table.
Although her degree is in education, Paula taught for only ten years in New Jersey. In 1980 she moved to the Kalona area and became a patient advocate for a home care company for twelve years where she took to the road. It was these years of traveling through the small towns of the Midwest that allowed her to see many gift shops and restaurants. It was a dream to one day open a restaurant, but it seemed too big an endeavor. After the death of her husband in 2000, she decided that a career change was in her future. A gift and home décor shop would have to quench her thirst for business. Paula learned that the “Old Kalona Hotel” was for sale and decided the first floor with its tall ceilings and windows and old wooden floors was just the look she was after. With the help of many good friends and family, the old hotel was transformed into Tuscan Moon Gift Studio.
The first day of business was June 10, 2002. Tuscan Moon Gift Studio was very different for Kalona, but the community embraced the new shop and even accepted a business that sold wine. Wine sales soared, and this became the direction Paula decided to go. In 2004, she opened the outdoor Wine Garden. With the help of great friends, an accepting community, and adding entertainment, the Tuscan Moon Wine Garden was a hit. 2004 was a great year not only for business, but for Paula personally. In the summer of that year a gentleman visiting family in Kalona came to Tuscan Moon to look at the wine selections. It was Warren Miller.
Warren and Paula met, and it wasn’t too long before they realized they were meant for each other. Warren grew up in Kalona and is the youngest of seven children. Although he had lived in Westlake Village, California, and Long Island, New York, Warren held close the dream of someday owning and operating a restaurant in the Midwest. Paula’s old hope of owning a restaurant was also Warren’s. Warren not only had big dreams, he had a perfect business background as the former Director of Stores for a retail store chain. Isn't life amazing?
Next came the transformation from gift shop to dining establishment. Warren and Tuscan Moon’s first chef, John Olson, turned a small room, no more than a closet, into the first kitchen. The outdoor deck and patio would be the first dining area.
After an amazing summer of outdoor dining and live entertainment, Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth was born. The gift shop was now on the second floor of the old hotel, and the main floor was transformed into the dining room. Although new cannot describe this dining room. Paula and Warren found antique booths in a warehouse and quickly saw how their dining room would look. Old wooden floors, exposed brick, tall ceilings with dark booths and tables covered in white linen, a beautiful chandelier and sconces create the warm atmosphere of Tuscan Moon. The bright colored bistro room next to the main dining room houses a walnut bar with casual seating. The main dining room can seat forty people and the bistro room can seat twenty. The outdoor patio can seat sixty to seventy people.
Current chef Andy Hill has been with Tuscan Moon since 2007. He and Zanetta, his wife and sous chef at Tuscan Moon, are enthusiastic about food and fresh ingredients. Andy learned his art under master chefs at Mondo’s grill and top-rated Joseph’s steakhouse in Iowa City. In April 2010, Andy took first place for his soup entry in the Culinary Classic competition at the nearby Riverside Casino. See Kalona News article at right for Andy and Zanetta’s story.
Warren’s touch with flowers has prompted folks to wonder if the patio is really a flower shop. The vine-draped garden entrance has been enjoyed by all, especially those who have been lucky enough to have their wedding reception there. Oh, of course, Paula and Warren held their wedding reception in the garden atmosphere of Tuscan Moon on September 11, 2005. Live music, great food, beautiful surrounding—that’s Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth.
In the fall of 2005 a new kitchen was built. Warren added to the wine selection weekly with at least one hundred and fifty wines from all over the world. In the summer of 2006, a full bar of only top shelf liquors was added.
The gift shop is now a thing of the past, replaced by a dining room and lounge on the second floor appropriately called “The Top of the Moon.” Tables set in front of tall windows, allow guests to enjoy each season as they feast on John’s wonderful food.
How does it work so well? A quote from one of their guests in an e-mail message to Paula and Warren Miller says it all: “They love what they do, and it shows.”
|
 Paula Miller,
Co-Owner
Paula grew up Paula Di Girolamo in a mostly Italian-American neighborhood in New Jersey near New York City. Coming from a Sicilian heritage and having abundant family living close by, she has warm memories of absolutely wonderful food.
In 1980, Paula moved to the Kalona area with her husband and two daughters. After the death of her husband in 2000, she decided that a career change was in her future. She purchased the “Old Kalona Hotel” with its first-floor tall ceilings and windows and old wooden floors—just the look she was after. With the help of many good friends and family, the old hotel was transformed into Tuscan Moon Gift Studio and opened for business on June 10, 2002. That was the start of her dream to one day open a restaurant.
Warren Miller,
Co-Owner
Warren lived in the Kalona area as a youth. He returned in 2004 after living and working in other parts of the country for the past thirty years. His moves took him from Kansas City, Kansas, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Westlake Village, California, to Danbury, Connecticut, to Long Island, New York.
He worked in sales and sales management until his most recent position as Director of Stores for the Farberware Outlet Stores based in Long Island.
He left his position in October of 2003 to pursue dreams of opening his own business. After traveling for about eight months he returned to the Kalona area to visit family. In May of 2004 he went into Tuscan Moon Gift Studio to buy a bottle of wine. That's when he met Paula, and after several months of knowing each other, in July they had a lunch date and that began their story.
New chefs at Tuscan Moon Grill on 5th have passion to cook
By: Ron Slechta
11/22/2007
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Chef Andy Hill works with his wife, Zanetta (sous chef), in the kitchen at Tuscan Moon Grill on 5th in Kalona. |
|
To be a good chef, you have to have a passion to cook.
The new chefs at Tuscan Moon Grill on 5th have a passion for cooking good food with fresh ingredients. They have that passion on the job and when they are at home. Veteran Chef Andy Hill, Kalona, has joined his wife, Zanetta, the sous chef, at Tuscan Moon Grill on 5th in Kalona.
"We are always trying out new recipes and making our own creations at home," commented Zanetta.
Zanetta, also an experienced cook, has been working for Tuscan Moon for about six months under the tutelage of Chef John Olson who had been with the downtown Kalona restaurant since it opened two years ago.
"I learned a lot under John," Zanetta said, "but I'm really excited about being able to work with my husband." You may have also tasted some of Andy's creations in the past as he assisted or filled in for John on special occasions during the past couple of years.
"We really feel fortunate to have someone of Andy's ability on staff full-time," commented co-owner Warren Miller. "He has a wealth of knowledge gained from working with some of the best chefs in the Iowa City area. We look forward to having him help us create new menu items."
Andy grew up on a small family farm between Dysart and Waterloo and attended the University of Iowa earning a B.A. in psychology. To earn money in college, he worked as a cook in Burge Hall and at the Iowa Memorial Union State Room.
Andy started working for Mondo's Sports Café in Iowa City on June 26, 1993. He later worked at Mondo's downtown and other Mondo's restaurants. "I learned a lot about all aspects of cooking and kitchen management from some great chefs during that time," Hill stated. He noted some of his mentors were graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. "Jim Mondanaro (owner of the Mondo's restaurants) also is an excellent chef and mentor."
Andy joined Mondo's Tomato Pie in Coralville in l996 and returned to the downtown after it was rebuilt (after a fire) in 2000. He returned to Mondo's Tomato Pie in 2005 and served as chef both at Tomato Pie and Joseph's, Steakhouse an upscale New York style steakhouse. Zanetta helped open the West Des Moines Mondo's (now a Joseph's Steakhouse) in 1996.
Andy is known for creating menu items that feature fresh ingredients.
"We will be keeping most of the Tuscan Moon's favorite items," Hill noted, "but over time we will be adding some delicious new features."
Helping him create those new menu items will be his wife, Zanetta, who grew up in a family of cooks. "In our family you learned how to cook almost as soon as you were able to walk," Zanetta said.
Zanetta was raised on an organic farm near Victor. Her family moved to Iowa City when her parents started Farmers Market & Bakery downtown (which closed in 1989). She assisted with cooking since she was 12.
After graduating from City High in 1993, Zanetta cooked at La Casa's and the Highlander Inn. She started working at Mondo's Tomato Pie in 1995. Later she worked at the Bread Garden and Mondo's in West Des Moines.
While working for Mondo's, she and Andy met.
"He is the best thing that has ever happened to me," she commented. She and Andy purchased a home on B Avenue in Kalona in 2002 and were married in their backyard in 2003.
Drawing on her experience on the farm, Zanetta got a degree in horticulture from Kirkwood in 2003 and worked as chief grounds keeper at Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids for four years. She had heart surgery in 2005 and quit the Mt. Mercy position in 2007 after tiring of commuting.
Zanetta decided to join the Tuscan Moon as a sous chef about six months ago.
Andy started to work some extra hours at the Tuscan Moon in January after he had taken some time to assist on the family farm when his father was ill. During that time he worked as chef both at Mondo's and Joseph's.
Andy welcomed the opportunity to go to work for the Tuscan Moon Grill on 5th full time because he and Zanetta have a great deal of respect and appreciation for what they have created in a first class restaurant that is growing in popularity among diners in East Central Iowa. They also appreciate their team approach to menu selection and management.
|
