ITALIAN GARDEN in McKINNEY

BENNY'S ITALIAN GARDEN

Another restaurant profile by J.B.Blocker, the Lone Star Reporter

Family is very important to the Polisi family. So when one of their cousins was to be married, Zati and his wife Flora brought their two teenage sons to attend the wedding in Allen, Texas. They left their family farm in Albania and packed for an extended visit. They liked Texas, respected America, and decided to stay.

For generations the family has lived close to where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet just southeast of the heel of the Italian peninsula. They were strongly influenced by fresh seafood as well as locally produced fare. Even though the family is Italian, the region also has a strong Greek influence. Their homeland is rich in history and the melding of ancient cultures.

    Back Row: Little Benny, Flora, Zati, Chef Benny, Alisa, Shippy, and Sabi                          Front Row: Mayor Brian Loughmiller, Richard Pedretti-Allen, and County Judge Keith Self

The oldest son took to being called Benny and worked his way from a dish washer and bus boy up through the ranks of the well established and operated restaurant of a relative. By the time the Polisi family was ready to open their own restaurant, Benny’s skill, experience, and love for cooking had prepared him to take control of his own kitchen.

It's good to have a talented and dedicated chef, but you need more to insure a successful restaurant. You need a really good manager who takes quality, management, and hospitality seriously. Fortunately, Chef Benny had the best of allies. His younger brother who was also being called Benny by his friends has the mind of a responsible businessman. Little Benny was 14 when the family came for the wedding and chose to become a part of the American Dream.

Benny's Italian Garden is a family affair.