In Conversation: Antonio Sessa & Giana Barone

The Newlyweds.

“Made in Italy Bistro feels like home.” 

This is one of the first things I told Giana Barone and Antonio Sessa as we sat down for our interview. The unassuming eatery is humbly tucked into the North Ranch Shopping Center, one of many strip malls lining the major roadways in Conejo Valley. However, Westlake Village’s hidden gem is wildly popular with long dinner time waits most Thursdays through Saturdays. No reservations taken.

Kindly, the couple did save a large table for our interview, offering me a freshly pulled shot of espresso before we settled into our conversation. My shaky hands struggled to pick up the very small cup, but soon, I was quickly transported back to my own memories of Italy from a few years back. This welcoming, warm feeling that you are with family is no accident. The small establishment, by design, promotes community and connection; setting them apart from most modern eateries. During the bistro’s conception, many discouraged the couple from offering communal table seating. They were told that Americans might not understand the synonymity of food and togetherness; the very foundation of Italian culture. More importantly, they were forewarned that those tables may remain empty. Heaven forbid people socialize during a meal… let alone, dine amongst strangers. Of course, the critics were wrong. Nobody is a stranger at Made In Italy. In fact, Conejo Valley has yet to see a dine-in restaurant that cultivates natural familiarity quite like this place.

Before the rush.

Antonio, the executive chef and owner, is from the small Italian region of Campania just south of the Amalfi coast. Giana, head chef and partner, is the daughter of a first generation Italian immigrant and grew up here in the Conejo Valley. Aptly meeting in a restaurant kitchen many years ago… The rest is history. The couple married in Antonio’s home town just a month prior to our interview. Their love is the lifeblood of the restaurant, bleeding out amongst the crew and patrons. This love is how they and the restaurant survived the pandemic.

Throughout our conversation, the kitchen never rested; alive with the song and dance of crew members choreographically weaving around one another. Behind me, more casual interruptions ensued. Giana and Antonio knew the face of nearly every guest that walked past them. Greetings of endearment, smiles, and the occasional fist bumps were exchanged between the two and their passing friends throughout our time together. The couple shared that returning business kept their heads above water. The restaurant opened in early 2019, just a year before the beginning of the end for many restaurants all over the world.

All the gnocchi you could ever want.

Today, they are currently struggling to hire the staff to keep up with the growing demand of the business; additionally, hoping to bring on employees who are hard-working and have a passion for the restaurant. With growing remote-work flexibility in other fields like tech and marketing, the service industry continues to suffer from the nation’s increasing employee shortage. For Giana and Antonio, cultivating the right environment in a restaurant is crucial to its survival. 

Made In Italy is uniquely influenced by Antonio’s experience working in Florence and Giana’s upbringing in Southern California. Although, Antonio’s time in Florence was so important to his culinary career that he brought Giana to learn from the chefs there as well. The traditionally Italian menu with neopolitan pizza and handmade pasta is made modern with items that Giana has developed like salads and vegetable based dishes. However, the menu may be the least exciting part about dining here… And yes, I said that about my favorite restaurant with some of the best food I have ever eaten. The people are really what make this place special, and begging you to come back.

My pizza!

Toward the end of our conversation, I took photos of Antonio kindly making me a pizza to-go. The house slowly filled up behind me signifying the start of the incoming dinner rush; cooks were busily rolling out gnocchi in the kitchen. Suddenly, Giana had tapped my shoulder and asked if I could check in with the guests that just came through the door. We looked at each other for a brief moment, pausing before we bursted out in laughter. I told her that I would have done it if she hadn’t stopped me. The energy and life filling the restaurant keeps me coming back, even when the wait for dinner spills out into the parking lot. One time, I waited so long that Antonio brought out a pizza for all of us in line to share. A bad time simply does not exist here, especially when you have a slice in one hand and a glass of Vermentino in the other. Made In Italy is all the things I love in one little place, and Conejo is incredibly lucky to have them.