Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Valeriano's chef Eric Tosh and Steve Borkenhagen, who with his wife, Kathleen, are the new owners of the popular dining spot, are looking forward to planning new menus.
Valeriano's new owners bring new ideas, recipes
By Suzanne Cristallo
New owners took over Valeriano's in Los Gatos just three weeks ago. San Jose residents Steve and Kathleen Borkenhagen are in the process of becoming acquainted with vendors and the staff, most of whom have remained from the previous ownership of Wendell Arnold who, Steve says, has returned to concentrating on his primary business of real estate.
The Borkenhagens are no strangers to the restaurant business. They run Eulipia Restaurant and Bar and Blake's Steak House, both in San Jose. Once the kinks are out of the transition, they have big plans for their Italian eatery on W. Main Street.
"The next phase is menu development," Steve says of what now is a traditional Italian menu. "We've already taken off items that don't work, and in the next few weeks we'll be adding some spectacular dishes."
What they are is still an unknown. But they will be seasonal and full of the fresh products that are the forté of Eric Tosh, who will be spending time as executive chef both at the Los Gatos restaurant and Eulipia. Tosh brings with him an expertise gained from the years he worked as a chef at Sent Sovi and The Basin, both in Saratoga. He also does a cooking show on San Jose's KNTV Channel 11.
"I think people are really going to be pleasantly surprised," Steve predicts.
Meanwhile, plans are progressing for a remodel, starting this summer, of the 100-seat restaurant and full service bar, which is housed in a historic building that served for decades as a bank until the late 1980s. While the Italian motif will be retained, "It will be modernized," Steve says. That includes the kitchen.
"It's our philosophy to have high-end equipment," he says. "We're investing a sizable amount of money in that." While dinners seven nights a week are being offered now, lunches probably will be reinstated after the remodeling.
Steve, 48, grew up in Santa Clara, while Kathleen is a native San Franciscan. While she was a student of chemistry at West Valley College and he was studying the classics at San Jose State University, the two met at an Irish pub.
"I slipped her my phone number," Steve recalls. What he doesn't remember is who called first. At any rate, they were married in 1975, and had four children, now ages 24 to 12. The eldest, Mike, is managing Eulipia. Eventually, father and son will be splitting their time between the two restaurants.
When they opened Eulipia, the Borkenhagens' only food business experience came from organizing wedding receptions and parties at the University's Faculty Club.
"We were young and passionate and figured we could learn," he recalls, smiling. "It sounded fun, so we opened and learned on our feet, stumbling through until we figured out how to do it."
Valeriano's, 160 W. Main St., Los Gatos. Open for dinner Mon.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 5-11 p.m., Sun. 5-9 p.m. 408.354.8108.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
