Northshore Magazine

ne Business NS: It's interesting that neither of you planned for a career in hospitality, yet you've been at the helm of restaurants all over the city. How did that happen? Michael: To be honest, none of us [there are four DiBiccari brothers] had any intention at all of setting out on the restaurant, hospitality, culinary arts path. It chose all of us [their brother Matthew works as sous chef under Michael Schlow at Alta Strada in Wellesley, and brother Neil had a brief stint in the industry before pursuing other ventures] at different moments in our lives. My father owned a martial arts studio in Wakefield; I was involved with soccer and martial arts and Louis was very competitive in basketball and track. I think we realized that a lot of those things that captured us as a family growing up—[the joy of ] food, being around people, camaraderie, and entertaining—served as early [indicators of ] where we'd eventually wind up. We just didn't know it at the time. I started working in food service when I was in high school, and by the time I got my driver's license and graduated high school, I decided to continue on, since I was already immersed in the business. Louis: I actually hated food growing up. I was a cut-the-crust-off-thepeanut butter and jelly [sandwich] kind of kid. I didn't like mustard on my sandwiches. I wasn't experimental; I was scared. I'd eat ham and cheese sandwiches, or butter on my pasta. My mother had a hell of a time trying to break me of that. I was 18 or 19 [years old] when I started to come out of my shell—ironically, when I ate family dinners at friends' houses. It was like, 'Come on, you've got to try these new things.' I found I actually liked what I was eating. And my interest grew from there. NS: The North Shore is your home, but you've decided to make a second one in Method to the Madness: Above, Louis takes time to explain his methods to each employee; Left, Tavern Road's open-concept kitchen is a place for professional creativity and personal connection. Boston. Yet this area is buzzing with new restaurant openings, many of which are run by award-winning chefs and restaurateurs from around the world. Do you think you'll eventually come back? Michael: [The move to Boston] wasn't so much a deliberate decision as a natural transition. If I really think about it, Boston is our home, [too]. We've got family in East Boston and on the North Shore. We've never been a family that's distanced itself. Lynnfield has shaped who we've become outside of what our parents instilled in us. My brothers and I often talk about the level of friendship we developed [while] growing up—[friendships] that we sustain to this day. We've got deep roots. We're constantly using that to help develop our relationships with our guests here. That said, I've certainly thought about the possibility of having a restaurant on the North Shore. I think as the suburbs evolve, it becomes an increasingly viable option. I wouldn't be surprised if we did open one there, someday. Our brother Matthew has been in the suburbs forever. I think if one of us were to do that, he'd be the first. Louis: Is there room for exceptional dining on the North Shore? Yes. I don't want to say that metropolitan cities are all saturated. But New York City remains the food capital of the United States. Other cities, like Chicago and San Francisco, and yes, Boston, will continue making names for themselves as food cities, and evolving and thriving and challenging the dining scene. I think what the North Shore is experiencing is a 106 nshoremag.com December 2013 KJ NBDec13 DiBicarri.indd 106 10/25/13 2:21 PM

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