"It was her dream."
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For decades, Isabella's Trattoria has been a home for many, and while the iconic Mudgee restaurant is timeless in its existence, the business marked 22 years on November 25, 2021.
The story of Isabella's begins in 1999 when John and Isabella Falvo moved from Sydney to escape the city life to Mudgee, a town with rolling hills and churches that reminded the couple of Italy.
Opening a cafe or restaurant had always been a dream for Mrs Falvo, who originally worked in a cake shop, and with an Italian restaurant absent from Mudgee's dining alternatives, the couple sought to rectify the gap in culinary options.
"Other types of restaurants in town were needed, not just pubs and Asian food, it's the diversity of options people were missing," Mrs Falvo said.
Throughout the years, the Falvos have weathered their fair share of challenges, including raising children in the midst of running a new business, but according to Isabella's head waitress and daughter of Isabella and John, Simona Falvo, the business is a success because of consistency.
"It certainly has had its challenges but it's been rewarding," Miss Falvo said.
"My parents raised a child after the first two years of being open. It was hard to manage a family and work lifestyle for them, especially trying to have the perfect balance.
"The main motto we have always pushed is 'if you cook with the heart, you'll taste the love'. We keep it consistent with the three of us [Isabella, John and Simona] working five days a week because if, for example mum wasn't there, it's not the same.
"In all credit, Isabella and John have done a spectacular job not only as parents but as successfully running a business for 22 years."
Time has only proved to be a benefit for Isabella's with Mrs Falvo having had the ability to 'fine tune' her skills and family recipes, accordingly, over the 22 year period.
"The longer you leave a wine, the better it gets, and the longer I've been here, the more fine tuned I've got, so it's a very well oiled machine this restaurant," she said.
While the hopeful sale of Isabella's Trattoria will allow Mr and Mrs Falvo to move into a new stage of life, they hope the restaurant will remain Mudgee's slice of Italy.
"It would be a shame for Isabella's not to continue as an Italian restaurant because it's what Mudgee absolutely needs," Mrs Falvo said.
"Everything has a shelf life, the last thing you want is for a business to be overworked," Miss Falvo added.
"As a family, it would be nice to spend some more time together and just really enjoy the family time we may have missed out on.
"We send a big thank you to those who have kept us going for the past 22 years. We've become a part of Mudgee's family... and it's really lovely to see that the Isabella's team still stands strong after 22 years."
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