Buonos Welcomes Third Generation
by Nancy Wood,
November 3, 2011, page 21.....

Buono Appetito Italian Restaurant has a new executive chef, who is bringing to the table his passion for cooking and his experience training at NECI and restaurants in San Francisco and New York.
In what is now a tradition, Joseph Severio (“Sevie”) Cartularo has joined his father Ken at the family’s restaurant on Shelburne Road. Thirty years ago Ken came to work there with his father, Geno Cartularo, who opened it in 1971. The 40th anniversary of Buono’s was celebrated this year.
Sevie is introducing many new ideas, including seasonal menus and a commitment to local ingredients. This month’s menu, which Sevie says is the biggest change ever, features fall specials like a not-to-be missed appetizer of brussel sprouts fried with garlic, parsley and capers, tossed with lemon juice and salt. Eggplant, beets and wild mushrooms take center stage in other dishes and pizzas. A different menu with winter specials will be introduced December 19. Sevie said, “All of the new dishes are my ideas. It’s fun and a learning experience.”
Sevie wants to encourage diners to try new dishes, but he also doesn’t want to disappoint Buonos’ regular customers. Old favorites like antipasto salad, lasagna, pasta with meatballs and chicken parmigiana continue to be offered, and if customers don’t see a favorite dish that used to be on the menu, Sevie says, “They can ask for it. We have the ingredients in the kitchen to make it.”
Sevie and his brother started helping their grandfather at the restaurant on the weekends when they were students at CCS. He moved from swatting flies (at 10 cents a fly) to making dough for Buono’s signature homemade rolls and pizzas. By the time he was at CVU he learned to love cooking, and, after graduating in 2008, he enrolled at NECI (the New England Culinary Institute). He studied there for a year, then interned under Chef Nate Appleman at the restaurant SPQR in San Francisco. He followed Appleman when he became chef at Pulino’s on the Lower East Side in New York City (“the nation’s first breakfast pizzeria”), and from there returned to Vermont to join his father at Buono’s.
“We’re excited to have him here,” said Ken. “The restaurant has been good to us – and a lot of work.” Sevie and Ken put in many hours each week. “I pretty much live here – six or seven days a week,” said Sevie. He doesn’t have time for much else, but he likes to travel to learn more about food. He’s managed to free up a week starting November 21 for a trip to Madrid, Spain. He’d like to go to Italy someday, but would want to have three months for that.
Buono’s is a member of the Vermont Fresh Network, and Sevie has found a very local source for vegetables at Sol Fresh Farms in Charlotte. Farmer Greg Sol and Sevie were students at CVU together. Other vegetables come from Black River Produce, and eggs and milk from Poquette’s. Laplatte Beef and Cabot Cheddar are featured on Sunday and Monday, which are burger nights. As with all their bread and pizza dough, the hamburger buns are homemade at the restaurant. Whole wheat and gluten-free pizzas are options that are gaining popularity. The bar, which Sevie tends on Sunday nights, features Vermont beers (Switchback is the number one seller) and Shelburne Vineyard wines.
The building has changed as well. The Cartularos remodeled portions of the restaurant when Route 7 was reconstructed, which took most of the parking area that was in front of the building. Parking has been expanded behind the restaurant and an entrance created in what was the back of the building, providing easy access both to the bar and the two dining rooms.
With 40 years in the same family, Buonos has served generations of customers and met the test of time. This new father and son partnership holds promise for a bright future of good food.