Bove vs. Flay
The lasagna throwdown

Kurstin Reuschel | staff writer
kreuschel@smcvt.edu

On Oct. 12, the Bove family was preparing to be featured on the Food Network when to their surprise Iron Chef Bobby Flay showed up on the set to sharpen his culinary skills.

The throwdown

Bove’s is a local Italian restaurant located on Pearl Street in downtown Burlington.  The Bove family opened the restaurant in 1941 and has been running strong since.

Outside of Bove's cafe. Kurstin Reuschel photo

Mark Bove, 40-year-old president of Bove’s, was contacted this past summer by a producer from the Food Network.  Bove has no formal culinary training but claims he went to “the school of dad,” where he learned everything he knows, he says.

“The producer said he Googled the name Bove’s and loved the story and the whole kinda romance behind the restaurant,” Bove says.

The Food Network then proceeded to send scouts out to eat at the local restaurant, unannounced to the Bove’s staff. A few weeks passed and then the Food Network was calling again, Bove says.

According to Bove, the family was told that their restaurant was going to be featured on a show called "Food for Thought."  This show (as the Bove’s thought) was going to highlight five different universities and restaurants that are popular with area students.  They were told that Bove’s was the number one restaurant with students at the University of Vermont.

“It was just a smokescreen for what was going to happen,” Bove says.

To his surprise, Iron Chef Bobby Flay showed up for a lasagna throwdown
at University of Vermont’s (UVM) Billings Hall.

“I was like ‘oh my God,’ and he reached for my vodka sauce, tasted it and said it's gonna be a tough match,'” Bove says. “It was so fricken cool.”

Unfortunately, Bove's lost the throwdown with Flay; the judges liked Flay’s lasagna better.  But after the throwdown, Flay e-mailed Bove and told him not to worry about the judging because he liked Bove’s food.

"Throwdown with Bobby Flay" on the Food Network is a show in which Flay challenges people who are experts with a particular food.  But the show is also geared towards how the individuals he challenges cook, their restaurants, and their products; in other words it’s a way to get these people on the map, Bove says.

In celebration of the recognition of the Food Network, the Bove family invited locals to enjoy 1941 prices on Oct. 11, which meant 35 cents for a spaghetti and meatball dinner, including a Coca Cola.  About 2000 people showed up for the event and over 850 dinners were served, he says.

“This was such an important part of our generation because it’s been in our blood for over 70 years,” Bove says.

Thatsa spicy meatball

St. Michael’s junior Ricky Hubbard has been dining at Bove’s since his first-year.  It’s the spot that he and his family like to enjoy when they are up to visit, he says.
 

A customer stands at the counter ordering food. Kurstin Reuschel, photo

Before coming to St. Michael’s, Hubbard worked at Butler’s Sporting Goods in Hyannis, Mass. Owner Jim Butler, a UVM alum, told him he had to check out Bove’s when he got to Vermont, because he ate there when he was a student.

Since Hubbard is Italian, the food was immediately a hit with him.  He loves its big portions, quick service and inexpensive and great tasting food, he says.

“It’s just a good meal to have when you’re not at home, because it feels like home,” Hubbard says. “It reminds me of my grandmother’s house and her kitchen.”

Katie Esden, a student at the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) and local of the area, has been eating at Bove’s for as long as she can remember.  Her grandparents used to eat at the restaurant every weekend, and it has become a special place for Esden and her family, she says.

Esden likes Bove’s because it has been making the same food since she was a kid. It’s a welcoming environment with lots of great-tasting food at affordable prices, she says.

“As a culinary student I would rate Bove’s a 7 out of 10, and that’s exactly what they should be for what they are doing,” Esden says. “It’s a small restaurant, small kitchen and it has been the same way for years and years. They get lots of business and pump out lots of food quickly.”

Making it big

With Bove’s about to gain national recognition, the Bove family is preparing for what they hope will put them on the map.  The Bove’s episode will air as the season finale, but the date has yet to be announced, Bove says.

A customer walks into Bove's on a sunny day. Kurstin Reuschel, photo

Currently Bove’s products are in 20 states, including stores like Whole Foods in the South, Hannafords supermarkets, King Supers in Colorado, Giant Eagle in the Midwest, and Shaws.  It is trying every day to get its products out there on the shelves, he says.

Bove’s also has what the family calls the Meatball Van, which is essentially
a Bove’s on wheels to help promote the restaurant.  Currently the Meatball Van is off in Tennessee offering people a taste of Bove’s sauce and meatballs, Bove says.

To prepare for national coverage, Bove is looking to find a public relations company to help spread the word about Bobby Flay liking his food. Bove hopes this can help them get into more stores in the United States, he says.

“I love talking about it [the show],” Bove says. “It’s an experience I want to share with everyone, it was incredible.”