Remembering 3 area beloved restaurateurs

It takes much more than a unique concept and deep pockets to launch a restaurant. No doubt that is why there is a staggering failure rate among such ventures. The success of restaurants that do manage to persevere and even thrive over time can typically be traced to a discrete set of factors — the owner's depth of culinary knowledge, business acumen, unrelenting investment of personal labor and a steadfast refusal to accept failure.The one curve ball that will defeat you every time, though, is death. And over the space of a single year, Auburn lost three of its favorite sons, three anchor restaurateurs who have sated the appetites and thirsts of this community: Ty Rowe of Bootleggers; Jim Bril of Monkey Cat; and Cesare DiLorenzo of La Fornaretta. For me, the loss of this trio of singular personalities was especially difficult because I was a kindred soul. For more than 15 years as the former owner of Carpe Vino in Old Town, I competed, commiserated and occasionally clashed with these icons of our local hospitality scene. In the final analysis, I could not help but admire and learn from all of them.That's because these gentlemen were all pros with the chops to prove it. Ty was a legit chef with a degree from the legendary Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. After working abroad to hone his skills, and with the backing of his family, he conjured the concept for Bootleggers Old Town Tavern & Grill and labored in front of the cooktop there for some 20 years. Jim spent his working life in restaurants, principally at San Francisco's historic Fior d'Italia in North Beach where he was a long-time, real-deal maître d'. Along with his wife, Trish, he purchased and reinvigorated Downtown's Monkey Cat in 2005. Later, he was a founding partner of another Auburn staple, Tre Pazzi on Central Square. And then there was Cesare. After a major score when he sold his long-term restaurant lease in Pasadena, Cesare decamped with his family to Newcastle where he promptly launched La Fornaretta, his homage to Sicilian cuisine. Each of these career restaurant rats had an intimate understanding of focusing on the fundamentals, the blocking and tackling of creating a very special joint. It starts with the menu — the food — conceptualizing a harmonious array of dishes that is so appealing, satisfying and fairly priced that first-time customers segue into becoming regulars.&emsp;&emsp; Bootleggers immediately conjures Korean skirt steak, an incredibly decadent dish. Sadly, his restaurant is now shuttered, and hundreds of addicted Auburnites are jonesing for this holy grail of Ty's legacy.Jim's Monkey Cat is the embodiment of "something for everyone." His eclectic menu cleaves to the classics his customers appreciate, spanning steaks, chops, fish, salads and pasta. From the get-go, La Forarnetta demonstrated authenticity on every level, from the Sicilian-centric menu spun from extended family recipes and traditions, to Cesare's uncanny expertise as a culinary impresario. &emsp;&emsp;Another key piece is service, and Ty, Jim and Cesare sought restaurant crew members who stuck. They recruited both seasoned career restaurant workers as well as raw talent to whom they taught the ropes. Beyond family, these are the folks who suffered an inconsolable loss when their boss passed away. Ty was barely in his fifth decade when he left us. Jim was just 61. Cesare was in his early 70s. Speaking from my own experience, I know each of them dealt with significant levels of daily, debilitating stress in managing their businesses. Immense pressure seems to assault from every angle: working to keep customers happy and assuaging those who were not; managing disparate personalities; and reacting to the ever-changing competitive tableau. The biggest challenges to be faced, however, were financial. When quarterly sales tax payments, workmans' compensation premiums, payroll and massive invoices from a host of purveyors came due simultaneously, reaching for a roll of antacids is no consolation. The vagaries of cash flow over time can undermine the toughest of those struggling to survive.One central connection for this group was their love of and devotion to Auburn. Ty was a local boy who made his hometown proud. Jim and Cesare made Auburn their final hometown. All gave generously to the community when asked, which was usually daily. My personal relationship with my colleagues varied radically over time. During happier moments, I sat on a bar stool adjacent to them all. I was totally simpatico with Jim Bril, however. We were both transplants from big cities. Neither of us suffered fools easily, and we both relished chilling on the Monkey Cat patio, sipping wine and chewing the fat. I miss his laugh, and I am deeply saddened every day when I drive past his joint and his truck is absent ... nevermore green cat eyes gleaming in the rear window. Gary Moffat is a longtime resident of Auburn. &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp; &emsp;&emsp;&emsp;&emsp;