Chef Michele Doto talks with customers Beverly and Rick Causer at Pasta Italia in the Tallan Building at M.L. King Boulevard and Chestnut Street.Map
200 W. M.L. King Blvd.
Name: Pasta Italia
Location: 200 W. M.L. King Blvd., in the basement of the Tallan Building
Phone: 423-710-3467
Products: Italian dishes crafted by owner Michele Doto
Age: A month and a half
Startup investment: Doto wouldn't reveal his initial investment but said he saved a lot of money by doing whatever work he could himself. He, his friends and family scrubbed the walls, fixed the floors and did repairs all over their site to turn it into the restaurant it is now. "Everything that we could have done, we did," he said.
Target market: Pasta Italia hopes to fill its 70 seats and banquet room with people celebrating special occasions and businesses hosting important clients. The $50 to $60 per three-course meal price keeps people from becoming regulars, Doto said, but he hopes the food will keep them coming back several times a year.
Biggest hurdle: Getting to Chattanooga. Doto started his business in Biloxi, Miss., but his restaurant was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. He then moved up to be with family in Collierville, Tenn., where he ran a small restaurant. Finally, he found a larger space in Chattanooga and moved his operation to the Scenic City.
Biggest reward: Watching new customers come in and customers from past restaurants come to Chattanooga and visit the new place.
Lesson learned: Be prepared to deal with the unexpected. After moving into his Chattanooga restaurant, Doto spent an entire day cooking for a big crowd without any power, and said the customers left happy. "You learn to be ready for things to happen," He said. "You want to always back yourself up."
Five-year goal: Have an expanded menu, with original dishes representing the different regions of Italy. Doto wants to continuously increase the quality of his food, and hopes to keep customers returning as menu items evolve.