The menus are crafted, the tables are set, and chefs Hedy and Talia Trovato are eagerly awaiting the first round of guests at the stunning new home of Coppia on 1731 Lost Nation Road. Since 2022, the fine-dining restaurant had called Chesterland home, but the owners had dreamed of finding a setting that better suited their vision. They ended up building such a place in Willoughby, where they will open the doors on July 24.
"From the very beginning we imagined a fine dining experience where the food, service and atmosphere were completely harmonious," Hedy explains. "During our time in Chesterland, we did start to noticeably outgrow our kitchen and dining room space. So we wanted to design an area that could allow our concept to keep growing and moving forward."
The restaurant features a “modern-organic design" with seating options that include a bar, dining room, patio and chef’s table, where eight diners will enjoy an exclusive seasonally-driven multi-course tasting menu and wine pairing.
For the Trovatos, the transition from Chesterland to a bespoke space in Willoughby is just the latest step in a fairy tale journey that melds the personal and the professional. The chefs, who met while working at the highly regarded Victoria & Albert’s restaurant at Disney’s Grand Floridian, recently wed. Their love proved the secret ingredient on a recent season of "Chopped," during which they were crowned Grand Champions.
"Coppia is, and always was, so much more than a passion project for us," Hedy told Scene. "This restaurant makes up a vast part of our lives and is a self expression of us as chefs."
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