Chef Johnathan Benvenuti is not your average chef, or human being, for that matter. When the former Hell’s Kitchen alum was asked about his life as owner and chef of Bar Becky, an up-and-coming restaurant in Long Beach, CA, his answers were nothing short of thought provoking and meaningful.
From sharing what his customers mean to him, to the mundane minutia of a kitchen, the 31-year-old speaks of both with the same passion and captivating imagery.
“Every experience inside my restaurant comes with sacrifice. So, with every table smiling, laughing, and having a good time, there’s a staff member behind them who is probably missing that experience with someone else,” said Benvenuti. “We live to give that experience to people.”
Bar Becky opened its doors two years ago, serving a unique line-up of American Italian cuisine in an open-kitchen concept. Benvenuti paid homage to his mother by naming the restaurant after her, saying he grew up with elevated comfort classics, such as Mom’s Carrots with maple, burrata, and almond shavings.
“As a chef, I feel incredibly lucky to tell stories through food and to express the memories I shared with my mom. Every night is a special experience that reflects the values she instilled in me.”
When did you realize foodservice was going to be your path?
“The moment I knew that this was going to be my life was when I came out of high school and won a knife skills competition that my mom helped me with. This was the moment I wondered what was next in my life, and I just kept coming back to food and the feeling it gave me – serving people and the memories I had tied to my mom cooking at home.”
You were runner-up on Hell’s Kitchen, season 22. How did this influence your journey?
“When Hell’s Kitchen reached out to me during Covid, I was taking care of my mom and raising my daughter, so I wasn’t working. When the opportunity arose, I was very intimidated and insecure, but the experience helped me gain confidence. I made it to the finale, and while I didn’t win, my life changed completely. I’ll always appreciate what Gordon Ramsay did for me, but I want to be known for this restaurant and the experience we create here.”
What was life like after Hell's Kitchen?
“After appearing on Hell’s Kitchen, I started shopping around my business plan for a restaurant named after my mom. We found this space in Long Beach, previously a Remax office. The owner, who has experience with other restaurants, let us do pop-ups here to introduce our concept to the community. Thankfully, they responded well, and the landlord supported us. Once we got approval, we officially opened the next week with a few family photos on the walls. We didn’t have a big budget, so it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come, largely thanks to our community and staff.”
What motivated you to open Bar Becky?
“I’ve always wanted to work for myself. Why spend my life and my talent on someone else’s dream? I close my eyes and I know exactly what mine should look like; being here, it’s so surreal. Cooking led me to this restaurant, to these connections with my staff, the community, so what more could I want? I’m so grateful.”
Describe Bar Becky's Vibe
“When you’re here, it’s like coming into my house. And when you eat dinner at someone’s house, you’re normally in the kitchen. At Bar Becky, you’re in my kitchen. You’re not here because you’re hungry, you’re here to relax and have an experience. Let me help you escape through a couple of cool dishes, a good laugh, and some good wine.”
What challenges did you encounter with the space when you took it over?
“This place is small; we were handcuffed to what the space allowed. The kitchen has two ovens, a tiny dish area, and a small walk-in. We prep on the counters in the front. Every day, I’m impressed with what we accomplished with these limitations.”
Benvenuti did a complete makeover of his space and utilized Cambro’s Camshelving Premium Series for his walk-in cooler and dry storage area; and Elevation Series Wall Shelving in the warewashing area above the sink.
How did Cambro’s Camshelving help to alleviate the space limitations?
“I call it the ‘dark days’ before we installed Camshelving. The shelves were rusty, and that’s not a good feeling. It was difficult to operate, and there was one corner that I called ‘the corner of death.’ It felt like someone else’s restaurant, designed by someone else, and it doesn’t allow you to think clearly. That can affect the food and service.”
“The walk-in has changed completely. It’s like a breath of fresh air. All the corners are open; the shelves are completely organized and pushed forward. We have more space. We thought we were taking away standing space, but if things are organized, you don’t stand in there as long; it speeds up prep time. Every time you walk back to a space that’s organized, you have a sense of pride that just leads into your work.”
The Smallest Dry Storage Space in Foodservice Saved by Camshelving
You’d be hard-pressed to find a smaller, more compact dry storage space than what Bar Becky has. Their limited footprint means shelving essentially has to hug the corners. Fortunately, Camshelving is designed to maximize every inch of space in any back-of-house environment. Those open corners make a meaningful difference when space is tight.
Cambro’s Premium Series made life easier for Chef Benvenuti and his staff. “It allows for clarity, and it just feels cleaner and more organized. It trickles down to everything and everyone, including our porter and his space. There’s no more ‘where’s this and we missed that.’ It changes everything.”
Bar Becky Reaches Higher Ground with Camshelving Elevation Series Wall Shelving
“I think the Camshelving on the walls should be mandatory, right? Metal shelving almost feels wrong. You shouldn’t be putting wet things on metal. Plastic shelving above where things are getting wet prevents all the rust. It [Camshelving] allows us to just pop them [shelf plates] off, wash them, put them right back up, and then I have peace of mind knowing that anything that comes out of the dish machine is going on to a clean shelf.”
What motivates you in your career as a chef and restaurant owner?
“People. That’s why I do this. Someone asked me the other day, ‘What’s your favorite thing to cook?’ and I said, ‘I just like people.’ I like people coming in here.”
“We’re always up against the clock. It’s like this beautiful dance of somehow perfectly getting all this beautiful food ready by 5 p.m. and acting like we didn’t just kill ourselves for it, with a smile and then doing it 362 days a year.”
Benvenuti has a tattoo of an 8 qt FreshPro CamSquare on his arm, so perhaps choosing Cambro’s shelving was a natural choice. “The Cambro tattoo was something I always wanted. Some chefs choose knife tattoos, but I wanted to get something that resonated in every kitchen. It’s universal.”
Author: Cynthia Connally is the Digital Communications Manager at Cambro.
