“No regrets at all”: Gusto 54 Group’s Janet Zuccarini on what it’s like to run a restaurant in the US right now

Janet Zuccarini, the force behind Gusto 54 (Trattoria Nervosa, Gusto 101 and 501, Pai, Chubby’s), was one of Toronto’s first big-name restaurateurs to cross the border. In 2017, she expanded her empire to Los Angeles with Felix, a Venice Beach trattoria that quickly earned a James Beard Award and Michelin recognition. Her latest venture, Stella—a two-level, 8,000-square-foot Italian hotspot in West Hollywood—opened in 2024, fronted by chef Rob Gentile, whom Zuccarini brought from Toronto after Buca unravelled. Now, her culinary empire is split between two countries, operating not just on opposite coasts but across an international border. We sat down with Zuccarini to talk about bilateral dining diplomacy, the quirks of LA’s dining scene and why—despite the logistical headaches—she wouldn’t trade her dual-citizenship restaurant family for anything.

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For Toronto diners familiar with Gusto and Trattoria Nervosa, how would you pitch your American restaurants Felix and Stella—what makes each spot worth the trip to LA? Felix is an ode to handmade pasta, Italian culinary traditions and the art of hospitality, set in a warm and inviting space on Abbot Kinney. Chef Evan Funke’s dedication to technique, seasonality and heritage makes it a must-visit for pasta purists and lovers of Italian cuisine. Stella, on the other hand, is a fresh take on modern Italian dining in the heart of West Hollywood. With Rob Gentile at the helm, it’s a celebration of bold flavours and high-quality ingredients in an elevated yet approachable atmosphere that feels quintessentially LA while staying true to the soul of Italian cooking.

When you first planned your US expansion, what excited you most about taking your brand south? The opportunity to bring our passion for hospitality and Italian cuisine to a new audience was incredibly exciting. The US, and particularly Los Angeles, has such a dynamic food scene, and we knew we could make an impact with our dedication to quality, authenticity and the guest experience, with a focus on what we call soulful hospitality. Additionally, I was very excited to live in Los Angeles, so it naturally became the backyard for our expansion strategy.

In the US media, do they ever mention that you’re Canadian? Are your Toronto roots part of your brand story down there? It’s mentioned occasionally, but it’s not a focal point of our brand narrative in the US. That being said, we’re proud of our roots, and our foundation in Toronto’s vibrant dining scene has certainly influenced our approach.

Did you modify your brand at all for US audiences? Each restaurant is tailored to its location, but the core of our brand—hospitality-driven and focused on creating transporting experiences with an emphasis on quality—remains unchanged. The biggest differences with our two US restaurants is that they are both centred around their chefs. The differences are often in the details: service styles, guest expectations and the way people engage with dining experiences differ between markets.

What went through your mind when the trade war first flared up? Trade tensions are always something we monitor closely, but our focus is on delivering an exceptional experience to our guests. Any challenges on the macroeconomic level force us to be nimble and strategic in how we source ingredients and manage costs. For all of our concepts in both Toronto and California, we focus on purchasing local as much as possible. While the long-term implications for trade between Canada and the US are still unclear, we are thankfully experiencing little impact so far.

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What’s it like running a business in the US right now compared with in Toronto? Hospitality in many ways is an international language, but the operational landscape is very different. Labour laws, costs, supply chain logistics and guest expectations all vary, so we’ve had to adapt. One of the biggest surprises has been how hyper-localized the US market is—each neighbourhood has its own culture and dining habits, which has made for a fascinating learning curve. Staffing, regulatory environments and food costs each present unique hurdles in both markets. The labour market in the US, for example, operates very differently from Canada’s, which has required adjustments in recruitment, retention and operational strategies. In California, fresh, local ingredients are readily available—that’s something we wish we had more access to in Toronto.

Have these new trade issues caused any headaches or unexpected hurdles for your daily operations? Not in an immediate, day-to-day sense, but there are always long-term considerations–especially when it comes to ingredient sourcing and pricing fluctuations. They’re having more of an effect on our Toronto businesses, especially as they relate to the availability of US wine and spirits. We’re being forced to look at alternative options.

Has the trade war forced you to tweak your business plans at all? It’s made us more mindful of supply chain resilience. We’re constantly evaluating how we source ingredients, whether local alternatives are viable and how to maintain quality without unnecessary cost increases.

Is further expansion—be it in the US, Canada or elsewhere—in the cards? Expansion is always on our radar, but our focus remains on strengthening our current operations and ensuring our existing restaurants thrive. We’re always evaluating opportunities, but it has to be the right fit in the right market. I think a concept like Pai would be perfect for the LA market. I’m always keeping my eye out for the right opportunity here.

Any regrets about the US move given everything that’s happened? (We promise we won’t judge.) No regrets at all. Every market has its complexities, but growth comes from embracing challenges. The US expansion has been an incredible learning experience and a great opportunity to share our passion with a wider audience.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.