Donato & Filippo Frattaroli
ABOUT DONATO FRATTAROLI
Donato Frattaroli was born in Sulmona, Abruzzzo, Italy and immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of 14. In 1977, the Frattaroli family opened Lucia’s Ristorante in the North End of Boston. Here is where Donato learned his craft as well as all facets of the restaurant industry from the bottom up. Beginning in 1989 Donato has ventured out and opened additional restaurants beginning with Via Veneto Ristorante in Boston, in 1989, with his brother, Filippo, which is now known as Filippo’s Ristorante; Artù Ristorante in the North End in 1992; followed in 1995 by Artù Ristorante on Charles Street in Boston and in 1998 by Artù Catering on Fleet Street in the North End. Donato has now returned as Owner and Manager to the ever popular Lucia’s Ristorante in the North End.
Mr. Frattaroli is active in many professional, social and charitable organizations. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Massachusetts Chapter; Casa Monte Cassino; Massachusetts Restaurant Association; and Order Sons of Italy in America, Greater Boston Renaissance Lodge #2614. He was appointed to the board of the Fessenden School in June of 2001. He served as President of the North End Business Alliance.
Mr. Frattaroli has received a number of community service awards including: North End Against Drugs, Community Service Award; Dante Alighieri Society, Community Service Award; Bay State Freedoms Foundation, Community Service Award; The Pirandello Lyceum “I Migliori” award for distinguished service as a master chef and philanthropist. He has been voted “Best of Boston” by the media and has been interviewed by local and national press and radio. In July of 1992, Donato was honored to be chosen as one of the chefs to cook at the James Beard Culinary Institute Awards Dinner in New York and in 2006 he received the Restaurateur of the Year award from the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.
FILIPPO FRATTAROLI
Filippo Frattaroli is an accomplished man who is an award-winning chef, recognized both nationally and internationally, devoted father and husband, self-made businessman and philanthropist.
As a businessman, Filippo Frattaroli has achieved tremendous success in the restaurant business and in the property acquisition and management arena. His first business, opened in 1977, is now a landmark restaurant. RISTORANTE LUCIA – L’ORIGINALE at 415 Hanover Street in the North End of Boston, now owned and operated by his brother Donato. Next came RISTORANTE LUCIA - WINCHESTER, in 1985, located in Winchester Center. It serves as the anchor for the charming and quaint suburban business community. In 1989, Filippo purchased the property at 283 Causeway Street in the North End and opened his signature FILIPPO RISTORANTE. The property, a gastronomic landmark since 1954, was where Filippo first applied for work when he arrived in Boston. Next on the drawing board is a new exciting restaurant venture appropriately named ABRUZZO RISTORANTE, scheduled to open in the early fall of 2006. ABRUZZO Ristorante, brings the Giostra Cavalleresca di Sulmona to Boston through its imaginative decor and menu. The restaurant business, demanding to some and overwhelming to others, has been rewarding for Filippo and a perfect fit. He has harnessed his success and chosen to enrich the communities around him with his generosity. He has opened his restaurant and his heart to fundraisers that have helped countless organizations.
In the culinary world, his restaurants and he individually, have been the recipients of many local, national and international recognitions. He has been featured in countless publications and has acted in two movies that were filmed on location in his restaurants.
On a personal level, Filippo is a recipient of the prestigious Pirandello Lyceum, I Migliori award and the Diploma di Benemerenza con Medaglia D’Oro from the Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Pescara among others. He, along with his wife and children, personally organize and host the annual Santa Lucia Dinner at Ristorante Lucia to benefit the Massachusetts General Hospital Brain Tumor Center. In the five years that they have hosted this fundraiser they have raised approximately $120,000 that has gone towards brain tumor research.
Perhaps the aspect of Filippo that is most engaging is his unwavering patriotism to the United States and his commitment to keeping and strengthening relationships between Boston and his native Italy, specifically to Sulmona, in the Abruzzo region. These international ties strengthen a bond that is of great importance to Filippo. Through this bond he has opened an avenue that makes possible business and cultural relationships.
The key to Filippo Frattaroli’s success follows a basic recipe: devotion to his wife and children and to his faith, a genuine love of people, a refreshingly direct and personable nature, an honest concern for others, a commitment to excellence and an unparalleled work ethic. Above all, Filippo has a clear focus on where he wants to go without ever forgetting from where he came.
