We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonathan Calabrese and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonathan, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
Yes, there are so many lessons that I have learned while creating the Culinary Wise brand, but one of the most important lessons could be the importance of cultivating relationships with others. This includes who I know, who I have worked with in the past, and who has helped me within the industry, they all play a factor in the success of the Culinary Wise brand. For anyone looking into starting a business, making relationships and how you use those to move forward in a positive way is key.

What should our readers know about your business?

Picture this.

Two northerners walk onto a basketball court in Texas. And the rest is Culinary Wise history.

In the early 90’s, I, and Anthony Winkler (Co-Owner) found ourselves in Texas for different reasons. I was returning to my Texas roots from Chicago, while Tony was seeking new business opportunities from Connecticut.

Our competitive nature nearly led to a fight when we first met on the basketball court but, after a night of drinking with mutual friends, we quickly became not only best friends, but business partners.

I was fresh out of Culinary School and had been successfully running a small catering operation in tandem with my first restaurant, Savory Bistro, in the Lakewood area of Dallas. Tony was dispassionately working in sales, with his entrepreneurial mind constantly scheming.

In a true instance of kismet, Tony came across a vacant leasing office in Uptown Dallas. We decided to purchase the building and after an exhaustive renovation, opened State & Allen Kitchen + Bar. This well-loved neighborhood staple paved the way for Tony and me to develop and expand my catering businesses, Savory Catering, and to open the other restaurant concepts that make up the Culinary Wise Brand: The Nodding Donkey, Maple Landing, and Social Pie.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

First of all, this would truly never happen since I have gotten older, and I love downtime and just hanging out in my newly renovated backyard and outdoor cooking area, but my main objective would be for my friends to check out places I go when I am not working, so mainly restaurants – small tucked away places that don’t have big names – Tranky’s Tacos (seriously love this place), Mijas Taqueria (My new favorite, just opened close to my house – incredible). Definitely have to hit Good Friends Beer Garden, and the Good Friends Package Store (the best sandwiches in town). Teppo is the only place I ever go for Sushi in the town… The Nodding Donkey is a must for out-of-towners to see a great laid-back sports bar with a local feel or the patio at State & Allen (being a staple in Uptown for over 16 years now)… yes that is biased but that’s where people want to go, and I oblige them…. All my favorite restaurants have gone by the wayside (York Street, The Grape, Lola’s), which makes me think I need to find some new favorites.
One thing, I would say that I would take them to is Bishop Arts, I haven’t been in some time but some really great restaurants down there that went to a lot pre-Covid; Boulevardier, Vera Cruz, Eno’s (great pizza, not as good as ours but really great stuff)…

I would take them to my favorite cigar lounge – Cigar Warehouse, I spend a lot of time and money with them… we would drink bourbon and talk too much politics, sports, and religion (mainly yelling)… During nice weather I would take them to White Rock Lake, the Arboretum, and/or the Spillway )(after a big rain).

Mostly, we would drink bourbon and smoke cigars while eating BBQ or paella in my back yard oasis, listening to old 90’s grunge.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is not an easy answer, I have had a lot of help, influence and overall support. My mentors, Bryan Luscher and Sharon Hage, not only inspired but helped to show how one can be great, but pragmatic about running a restaurant really means – its not about being on Top Chef… My mother, from day 1… strongest person I know, bar none – has owned multiple companies always cashing out – self made women… then my current team – Rhett Dukes, Laura Gonzalez, Ivan Rizo, Michelle Griffith – and others make work life fun, exciting, sustainable and enriching on a daily basis.

Website: https://culinary-wise.com/

Other: Restaurants We Own: https://www.stateandallen.com/ https://www.themaplelanding.com/ https://www.thenoddingdonkey.com/ https://www.socialpie.kitchen/ https://www.savory-catering.com/

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