Savoring Tradition: Chef Theresa Robinson of Tuscany Bistro

Today, we’re diving into the world of Northern Italian cuisine with none other than Chef Theresa Robinson of Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill. Her journey from a sixth-grade dream to a full-fledged chef’s hat is nothing short of pasta-tively inspiring! With deep roots in Italian culinary tradition and a passion for keeping things fresh, Chef Theresa has been cooking up a storm in Kenosha. So grab a seat at the table as we sauce out the secrets behind her mouthwatering dishes, her dedication to authenticity, and why Tuscany Bistro is a grate place to dine!

Visit Kenosha: Can you share with us your culinary journey and what inspired you to become a chef?
Chef Theresa Robinson: I was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where I attended college to become a court reporter in 1990. Later, I realized I needed to listen to what that little girl inside of me said in 6th grade: “I want to be a Chef when I grow up!” I say this because I always watched and enjoyed helping my Mother and Father cook in our “Italian basement kitchen.” IYKYK lol. Gateway had an excellent culinary/hospitality program, so I switched my major. During that time, I landed a job at Mangia Trattoria in Downtown Kenosha, which was owned by the Mantuano family. Out of all my jobs as a young girl, that was by far the best place to work. I started in the pantry and then quickly moved to cooking on the line.

Visit Kenosha: How has your heritage influenced your cooking style and the menu at Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Both of my parents are from Italy, so naturally, growing up Italian inspired me to love the culture and, of course, the food! My mother, Frances, who is from Cosenza, Italy, is also an excellent cook and taught me many great recipes. I’ve been to Italy many times in my life, and each time was a great learning experience. I especially enjoyed it when my Nana Adalgisa was alive. She would take me into her tiny kitchen, and as the seafood truck would leave the area of Montegallo, the Province of Ascoli Piceno, she would teach me how to cook my favorite dish, Cioppino (fish stew). My father’s family, from the Northern region of Italy, raised their own chickens, and I remember cooking bruschetta on an open fire and eating homemade bread and cheese from the local area.

Visit Kenosha: What experiences have shaped your approach to Northern Italian cuisine?
Chef Theresa Robinson: After graduating, I moved to Destin, Florida, where my culinary adventure began with my father, Guglielmo Ianni. During my 22 years with my father, he opened restaurants from the stretch of Pensacola Beach to Panama City Beach, which I helped manage and created recipes for.

Visit Kenosha: What motivated you and your father, Guglielmo, to establish Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill in Kenosha?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Being that we were from Kenosha, my father’s dream was to circle back to the area and offer something different for Kenosha. He opened it in 2012 with a managing partner. In 2015, my father asked me if I was interested in coming back to Kenosha to take over the family business. Without hesitation, we put our home up for sale and landed in Kenosha once again to take over Tuscany Bistro. I was also happy to be back home with my mother, Frances, and my sister, Anna, who helps me in the kitchen a couple of days during the week.

Visit Kenosha: How do you ensure authenticity in your Northern Italian dishes while catering to local tastes?
Chef Theresa Robinson: At Tuscany Bistro, not only do we offer some staple items like our homemade lasagna, linguine with meatballs, and fettuccine alfredo, but we also bring a different flair from Northern Italy as well. We specialize in seafood and center-of-plate dishes like our Cioppino (fish stew), Linguine Pescatore, and stuffed porterhouse pork chops, just to name a few. Every night we offer 4-5 different features on our chalkboard menu. “We keep it interesting,” as most of our customers would say.

Visit Kenosha: Could you tell us about the significance of the restaurant's location at 7410 118th Ave in Kenosha?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Every year my father and I would come home to visit, and we always talked about opening up a location in Kenosha. I believe my father chose this location because he saw growth in the area.

Visit Kenosha: What are some signature dishes at Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill that you believe best represent your culinary philosophy?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Some of our signature dishes include Cioppino (fish stew), Linguine Pescatore, and stuffed porterhouse pork chops. We also have homemade lasagna, linguine with meatballs, and fettuccine alfredo.

Visit Kenosha: How do you approach menu development, and what inspires new dishes?
Chef Theresa Robinson: I’ve always loved creating new dishes to make things interesting. I’m always inspired by using fresh ingredients and keeping up with the current trends.

Visit Kenosha: Can you discuss the importance of ingredient sourcing and any relationships you have with local suppliers?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Our resources are very important when it comes to what we serve on our menu. We use Italian distributors with quality ingredients that make a big difference. We use quality imported Italian tomatoes that stay consistent with the sauces we make fresh daily. We also order our produce fresh daily from our produce vendor. Fresh is best!

Visit Kenosha: How do you ensure a memorable dining experience for your guests?
Chef Theresa Robinson: At Tuscany, when a client makes a reservation, we always ask if they are celebrating anything special. If it’s a birthday or anniversary, for example, we send out a special dessert for them to enjoy.

Visit Kenosha: In what ways does Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill engage with the Kenosha community?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Tuscany is always happy to help our community when we can. We’ve raised money for Women & Children's Horizons, Hospice Alliance, and Goodfellows, just to name a few. We are always helping our local schools, especially those of our employees whose children attend certain schools and mine as well. We also help our military friends when needed.

Visit Kenosha: How do you handle customer feedback, both positive and negative, to improve the restaurant?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Usually, for customer feedback, we always thank them for their kind words. For the negatives, we try to find out what happened, investigate the situation, and fix it. If we don’t know, we can’t fix it.

Visit Kenosha: What challenges have you faced in the restaurant industry, and how have you overcome them?
Chef Theresa Robinson: I’d say COVID was our biggest challenge by far. We needed cash flow to be able to keep up with all of our overhead expenses. We put our pen to the paper and created different menus for customers to pick up curbside. We also did Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, and even a 4th of July menu for customers to enjoy at their homes. Over 80,000 restaurants nationwide didn’t survive it, so to say the least, we are very blessed to have kept our doors open, and we couldn’t have done it without our local community!

Visit Kenosha: How do you stay current with culinary trends while maintaining the restaurant's identity?
Chef Theresa Robinson: We are always creating dishes to match the different seasons.

Visit Kenosha: What advice would you give to aspiring chefs and restaurateurs?
Chef Theresa Robinson: My advice for future chefs and entrepreneurs would be to make sure you have passion for this business, or it won’t work. There are a lot of sacrifices to be made in this business to make it work.

Visit Kenosha: How do you balance the demands of running a restaurant with personal life?
Chef Theresa Robinson: Balancing personal and work life is challenging, but you must make it work. My husband, Anthony, always worked during the day and took care of our children at night, and I was there for them during the day to get them to school and pick them up. We always did our best to make it to most of their school functions, whether it was sports, music, or VIP Day. We made it work, and that itself is another job that you have to work hard at.

Visit Kenosha: Can you share a memorable experience or story from your time with Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill?
Chef Theresa Robinson: The most memorable time at Tuscany was when we did a fundraiser for a local Marine, Romel, who was injured in Afghanistan where 13 U.S. service members died from a suicide bomber. It was the most rewarding event/fundraiser we’ve had at Tuscany. We raised over $2,000 for his sacrifice.

Visit Kenosha: What does it mean to you to be a successful restaurant owner and chef in Kenosha?
Chef Theresa Robinson: To be successful in this business you’re always sacrificing and putting in a lot of hours to make it work. We are always creating dishes to match the different seasons. Marketing and PR is a must. That’s why we have a great relationship with Visit Kenosha who helps us along the way with our marketing.  I also have 2 special family members who mentor me to be and do better every day - to grow and be better. Without them pushing me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

And that’s a wrap – just like a perfectly rolled cannoli! Chef Theresa Robinson has certainly given us a lot to chew on, from her passion for Italian cuisine to her love for the Kenosha community. Whether you’re craving a plate of homemade pasta or a seafood dish that will make your taste buds swim with joy, Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill is the place to be.

The patio is now open – customers are welcome to dine Al Fresco.

Thanks for tuning in to Visit Kenosha, where we always keep things well-seasoned with local flavor. Until next time, stay ravi-awesome!

Visit Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill for dinner!
 

7410 118th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53142

(262) 891-3272

www.tuscanybistrokenosha.com

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