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Chef Todd Johnson returns to roots to open his dream restaurant




Chef Todd Johnson and his wife and business partner, Dana, are renovating existing space at Naples Bay Resort to create an upscale, modern vibe at Nosh on Naples Bay, opening in January. ERIC STRACHAN / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Chef Todd Johnson and his wife and business partner, Dana, are renovating existing space at Naples Bay Resort to create an upscale, modern vibe at Nosh on Naples Bay, opening in January. ERIC STRACHAN / FLORIDA WEEKLY

When chef Todd Johnson announced he’d be leaving the popular Bistro 41 at Bell Tower Shops in 2003 to open a new restaurant in Cape Coral, many of his loyal followers were aghast.

He was going to cross the bridge? Not only that, but this restaurant would be a whopping 9 miles west of the Cape Coral Bridge. It was a concept that was simply unheard of at the time.

Nonetheless, Mr. Johnson and his partners Jeff Gately and Ralph Centalonza gathered up their chef’s knives, shot glasses and other accoutrements and set out for Cape Harbour.

There, in a dazzling new waterfront complex of upscale shops and exclusive homes, they opened Rumrunners, a sprawling establishment with indoor and outdoor seating and a casual, Florida feel. It was an instant success and continued to be for 18 years — until their landlord decided earlier this year not to renew their lease.

While it came as a shock to many, Mr. Johnson took it in stride and used the opportunity to do something he’s wanted to do for a long time: open his own place in Naples, the city he’s called home since he was 10.

 

 

In January, he and his wife, Dana Sellen Johnson, will open Nosh on Naples Bay. It might appear to be a risky, considering the building has been the site of five restaurants in 15 years — Olio on the Bay, L’Orient, Mereday’s Fine Dining and two versions of 1500 South. (The actual address is 1490 5th Ave.)

It’s one he concedes he had doubts about when the Naples Bay Resort operators approached him some 6 years ago about taking over the space.

“The space is gorgeous, but I wondered about the boat parking and car parking,” he says. “And I was thinking ‘Do I want to split my time?’”

He turned it down then. But it was a dream that stuck with him and it’s finally about to happen.

To say he’s excited for his new 160-seat venture may be an understatement.

Although it has half the seats of Rumrunners, “the kitchen is bigger. So is the liquor room and the office. There’s more prep area,” he said.

Av ABOVE: Chef Todd Johnson during a culinary visit to Mauritson Rockpile Winery Ridge VineyardV in California.

Av ABOVE: Chef Todd Johnson during a culinary visit to Mauritson Rockpile Winery Ridge VineyardV in California.

He will be taking full advantage of the open kitchen that allows diners to watch the chefs create dishes from around the world. en

There will be four seats on each side of the bar in front of the open kitchen that Mr. Johnson calls “Nosh seats.”” They will be reservation-only spots and guests there will be served special tasting menus.

“All the stuff I do when I do wine dinners is the stuff I’ll do there,” he said. “My wife and I love small plates — four bites and the dish is gone. You can try so many dishes that way.”

He plans to craft a menu that will be divided between small plates — noshes — and traditional larger plates, such as steaks, fresh seafood, flatbreads, pastas and shareable entrees such as beef Wellington for four, which will be brought out ceremoniously on a cart.

“Guests can expect an ‘experience’ as they enjoy chef-driven, global cuisine featuring large, shareable plates,” Mr. Johnson said. “I plan to source the very finest ingredients and flavors, locally as well as globally, flying in Wagyu from Japan or Australia or working with local purveyors on sourcing the very best local seafood and home-grown vegetables. Our menu will change frequently.”

Li LEFT: Todd Johnson with his daughter Megan in 1995 when he worked at Bistro 821 on FifthF Avenue South in Naples.

Li LEFT: Todd Johnson with his daughter Megan in 1995 when he worked at Bistro 821 on FifthF Avenue South in Naples.

Mr. Johnson is also a sommelier and he plans to use his love and knowledge of wine to offer a robust wine list as well as a full bar and craft cocktail menu.

One drawback some people have cited about the restaurant’s location is that it is on the far side of the resort, requiring a hefty trek from the parking lot. Mr. Johnson plans to offer valet parking and golf cart transport to put tthat problem to rest.

And the chef and sommelier will be aable ca to pull out all the stops when it comes to his food, something he wasn’t able to do at Rumrunners.

Not only that, he’ll be able to work with his wife, whom he met while working at the Olive Garden which is, coincidentally, across US 41 from the resort.

Chef Johnson, far left, was one of the Southwest Florida chefs who prepared a coastal cuisine meal at the James Beard House in New York City in 2015. The dinner highlighted the products and talents of Southwest Florida to a New York audience.

Chef Johnson, far left, was one of the Southwest Florida chefs who prepared a coastal cuisine meal at the James Beard House in New York City in 2015. The dinner highlighted the products and talents of Southwest Florida to a New York audience.

It seems to be the culmination of all his hopes and dreams.

From the time he was 10 or 12, he says, he recalls being interested in food as more than something to eat. During his teen years, he worked at high-volume restaurants like Pizza Hut and Michelbob’s, where he learned much of the business part of the industry.

When he turned 20 and got married, Johnson & Wales opened a culinary school in Miami and his father urged him to go even though he had a newborn child.

But he discovered an advanced course that would result in an associate degree in 18 months. He decided to take the test and go if he was accepted.

“I thought the test was hard and I thought I failed,” he said. “One of the questions was ‘What is a roux?’ I didn’t know.”

Despite not knowing what the fat and flour concoction that thickens sauces was, he was accepted.

“I went. It was incredible. I learned to make stock, sauces, and it progressed from there,” he said.

He went on to work at Mark’s Place, the first restaurant run by James Beard Award-winning chef Mark Militello, where he grappled with fresh foie gras instead of canned and other foodstuffs that helped him expand his knowledge. He also did a stint at Gramercy Tavern with chef Tom Colicchio in New York, learning still more.

He found his way back to Naples and wound up at Tony Ridgway’s Chef’s Garden, where he landed a job as the executive sous chef not long before the restaurant won its first coveted Golden Spoon Award from Florida Trend.

When the executive chef quit and moved north, Mr. Johnson thought he’d get the job.

“Tony pulled me aside and said he’d make me chef de cuisine but told me I was too young to be executive chef,” Mr. Johnson said. “It was probably the best thing that could have happened. He was right, but I didn’t think so at the time. So, I left.”

Mr. Ridgway — who just celebrated 50 years as a restaurateur in Naples — obviously knew a thing or two even then.

“It was a long time ago, but I remember he was very talented, and I would have loved to have him stay at Chef’s Garden,” he said. What does he think now?

“I think this will be a good move for him,” Mr. Ridgway said. “It’s much smaller (than Rumrunners) with an audience that appreciates food. He has a solid fan base and should do well.”

In his next successful collaboration, Mr. Johnson teamed up with Michael Hernandez at Bistro 821 on Fifth Avenue, starting as the third sous chef. Although it was a step down, it didn’t last long — a year later he was chef-partner of the new Bistro 41 at Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers.

He was 27.

He began to gather his staff. Jeff Gately was a bartender at 821. He came along to the Fort Myers restaurant. Another chef friend — Vollen Loucks, who has headed up kitchens in the region as well — recommended Ralph Centalonza as sous chef.

The triumvirate was formed.

They went on to work with Mr. Hernandez to create Aqua Grill in Naples and Mia’s in Tampa while running Bistro 41.

Then Rumrunners happened. There he held successful chef’s dinners, took part in the Southwest Food & Wine Festival and, in 2015, joined a team of top local chefs – Norman Love (Norman Love Confections), Fabrizio Aielli (Sea Salt, Grappino, Barbatella and Dorona), Harold Balink (Harold’s), George Fistrovich (The Ritz-Carlton, Naples) – to prepare a stellar six-course dinner for a sell-out crowd in the Manhattan brownstone of the late James Beard, now owned by the James Beard Foundation.

And somewhere amid all that he found time to host the Celebrity Chefs Dinner at Rumrunners for 16 years, raising close to $2 million for Barbara’s Friends, a charity benefitting children with cancer being treated at Lee Health. He hopes to continue the tradition at Nosh.

Fast forward to December 2021 and Mr. Johnson is looking forward to the 12-minute commute to Nosh, to private events in his 32-seat dining room devoted to these, to wine dinners and to being out where the action is once again.

“I’ll be able to engage with our guests and the many awesome friends we’ve made over the years and that’s important to me as a chef and member of the community,” he said. “The venue is just small enough that I can put my personal touch on every dish.”

Mr. Love is happy to see his friend heading in this new direction.

“He’s a great restaurateur and a wonderful guy,” he said. “I have a great deal of respect for him and I’m happy for him. What’s best about this is it isn’t about him going into business strictly for the financial awards. It’s about passion. He has a love of culinary arts and an opportunity to showcase his talents at a different level. As for the location, I’ve always believed if you do something right, people will find you.” ¦

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