Chiarello’s partners, including former Disney Studios boss, acquire Bottega Napa Valley
Rich Frank and John Hansen, longtime friends and business partners of the late celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, announced their full ownership and management of Bottega Napa Valley.
But they’re definitely not new to the restaurant. Both Frank and Hansen have been partners in Bottega from the start, according to a news release.
Chiarello, 61, died on Oct. 6, 2023, in Napa. He had been hospitalized for an allergic reaction that led to anaphylaxis.
Bottega opened in 2008 in Yountville and is known for its Italian-inspired cuisine with a “California twist” – a cooking style Chiarello popularized on television, in cookbooks and in a series of restaurants he launched in the Napa Valley over nearly four decades, beginning with Tra Vigne in St. Helena in 1986 and continuing with Bottega, Ottimo and Coqueta Napa Valley.
Under the leadership of executive chef Alex Espinoza, a former protégé of Chiarello, Bottega “continues to thrive as one of the region’s premier dining establishments,” said the announcement.
Espinoza, who joined Bottega in 2021, “brings a wealth of culinary expertise and a deep appreciation for the restaurant’s legacy,” the statement said. “His passion for food and dedication to his craft began at an early age when his grandmother taught him how to make cheese on his family farm. His journey took him from the Culinary Institute of America to Tra Vigne Restaurant in St. Helena, where he learned from other culinary notables, including chef Anthony ‘Nash’ Cognetti and chef Michael Reardon.”
Michael Chiarello, who died in 2023, was the founding chef-owner of Yountville’s Bottega Napa Valley and other fine restaurants in Napa County
Frank was the president of The Walt Disney Studios in the 1980s and 1990s and later founded Frank Family Vineyards in Calistoga.
“We are excited to work alongside Chef Alex and the talented team at Bottega, many of whom have been with us since the beginning,” said Frank. “Together, we will honor the culinary legacy established by Chiarello while introducing new and exciting menu additions that reflect our commitment to quality and innovation.”
Hansen is a longtime investor and general manager in consumer businesses, including a hospitality business in Rome.
“Italy has been a second home to me for decades, and Bottega has always authentically captured the heart and soul of Italian hospitality,” said Hansen. “Great food shared with family and friends is the goal at my restaurants in Rome and at this remarkably unique place in Yountville. I’m delighted to continue supporting the culinary experience that Chiarello so passionately built.”
For more information, visit botteganapavalley.com.