Coffee Cups, Courtrooms & Crust: How Chef Benard Found His Flame

Every chef has a story — and Chef Benard Tamburello’s story starts not in an Italian villa or culinary school, but right here in Alabama, with a hot dog stand, a lot of hustle, and a deep love for people and food. Over the course of two decades, he transformed himself from a young man behind the counter at Gus’s Hot Dogs into the creative force behind Vecchia Pizzeria.

Here’s how he got there.

Gus’s Hot Dogs — Where It All Began (1992)

After his father passed away in 1986, Benard was on a journey to find his passion. In 1992, a young Bernard began working with his uncle at Gus’s Hot Dogs in Inverness. It was supposed to be just a job, but it quickly became his obsession.

He loved everything about it — the bustle of the breakfast rush, the smell of bacon on the grill, the regulars who became family. His customers ranged from corporate executives to landscapers, and he learned early on that good food and good conversation could bring everyone to the same table.

It was at Gus’s where he met his mentor, Mike Goodson, who ran an office-cleaning empire stretching from New York to Miami. Mike taught him how to run a business, and Bernard never forgot those lessons.

Always one to make things personal, Benard came up with a unique tradition at Gus’s: the coffee cup wall. Regulars left their favorite mugs at the restaurant, and each morning they’d grab their cup, pour their coffee just how they liked it, and settle in.

His bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits and world-famous omelets became the talk of the town, and before long he tripled sales at Gus’s. When the time felt right, he sold the business and looked for his next challenge.

Bernie’s Grill — A Southern Detour (1996)

In 1996, at around 33 years old, Benard bought an old Chelsea institution called Side Street Café and transformed it into Bernie’s Grill.

He didn’t know the first thing about Southern cooking, but he did know how to grill a mean burger and sling a great chicken sandwich. Thankfully, an angel named Pam Moore came along to save him. Pam knew every Southern dish in the book — from fried chicken and collard greens to cornbread chicken and dressing — and she taught him how to make them all.

He also began experimenting with chef-driven dishes like blackened grouper, gumbo, and fried crab claws. Bernie’s Grill quickly became a gathering place for locals, including employees from Yellow Pages and EBSCO, and served a growing Highway 280 community before the area really took off.

One of his favorite memories was of Mama May, Pam’s mother, who came in every week to buy a whole case of fried chicken — not for herself, but to feed the wild deer in her yard. A true Southern Cinderella.

In 2000, when the lease ended and the property was sold, Bernard found himself at another crossroads — ready to take everything he’d learned and try again.

Bernie’s on Main — Finding His Chef Roots (2001)

By 2001, Benard moved his vision to downtown Columbiana, taking over an old Western Auto building and turning it into Bernie’s on Main Street.

He stripped away layers of plaster to reveal gorgeous original brick walls, giving the restaurant character and warmth. Here, he kept his Southern favorites while adding elevated dishes like hand-cut steaks, Gulf seafood, house-made salad dressings, and hand-cut onion rings.

Bernie’s on Main quickly became a beloved lunch spot for courthouse employees, judges, jurors, and locals. The Judges’ Table, a special spot in the back of the restaurant, became his favorite place in the house — a place where he learned about small-town politics and earned the respect of his community.

He also brought vibrancy to the town by launching Music on Main Street, shutting down Main Street for bands, dancing, and neighborhood fun. And he made history as the first restaurant in Columbiana to serve beer, wine, and cocktails.

It was here that Bernard truly began to see himself as a chef — and where his love for creating elevated, authentic experiences really took root.

La Dolce Vita — A Taste of Italy (2005)

In 2005, Bernard brought his talents to Hoover, Alabama, where he bought an existing fine-dining restaurant from Lorenzo and reimagined it as La Dolce Vita.

He expanded the space, added a custom bar, and elevated the menu with his Italian heritage and creativity. He curated a beautiful wine list, brought in authentic Italian wines, and introduced traditional white-tablecloth service for guests celebrating date nights, anniversaries, and life’s big moments.

La Dolce Vita was where Bernard leaned into his Italian side, perfecting his craft and creating a dining experience full of warmth and elegance.

He still laughs about one night when a regular customer — a prominent local attorney — tried to impress his date by arriving in a Lamborghini, only to realize he couldn’t figure out how to put it in reverse. Bernard and his staff good-naturedly pushed the car out of the parking lot for him.

La Dolce Vita served Bernard for several wonderful years, until he decided once again it was time for something new.

Bellini’s — Southern Comfort Meets Italian Soul (2008)

By 2008, Benard had one more stop before Vecchia. Partnering with his friend Doug Hovanec, he opened Bellini’s, a Tuscan-inspired steakhouse in the heart of Greystone.

Here, he brought together the best of both worlds — rich Italian flavors and comforting Southern touches. His menu featured grilled Caesar salads, impeccable steaks, and his now-legendary white chocolate bread pudding, which he calls “if crème brûlée and donuts had a baby.”

Bellini’s became a neighborhood favorite and gave Bernard the chance to reconnect with old customers from his Chelsea days while making plenty of new ones.

He eventually sold both La Dolce Vita and Bellini’s, and even briefly returned to run Bernie’s on Main one last time. But a bigger dream had been quietly taking shape — a dream of wood-fired ovens, perfect dough, and authentic Neapolitan pizza.

Vecchia Pizzeria — The Dream Realized (2014)

In 2014, Bernard and his wife, Brianna, opened Vecchia Pizzeria in The Preserve in Hoover — bringing everything full circle.

With an Acunto brick oven imported from Naples, ingredients sourced from Italy, and techniques rooted in centuries-old traditions, Bernard created not just a restaurant but a true Italian experience.

Vecchia embodies everything he learned along the way — the warmth of Gus’s regulars, the creativity of Bernie’s Grill, the refinement of La Dolce Vita, and the community spirit of Bernie’s on Main. It’s where his story continues today — crafting pizzas, feeding families, and welcoming everyone who walks through the door as though they’ve been there all along.

From hot dogs to haute cuisine, from Chelsea to Naples (and back again), Chef Benard’s journey is a testament to grit, growth, and a deep love for both food and people. And at Vecchia, you can still taste that journey in every bite.

Benard Found His Flame!

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