- May 6, 2024
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The culinary arts have long been a part of Joni Bartley and Mark Falzon’s lives.
It’s the industry they’re passionate about. It’s what they love doing. It’s what brought them together.
And now that the chefs have acquired the former To Better Days Wine and Bistro at 197 N. Yonge St., they look forward to showing the Ormond Beach community what their love of food, combined with their extensive culinary backgrounds, can bring to the local restaurant scene.
“We’re excited to join the community and support other businesses,” Bartley said.
The couple took over To Better Days from local restaurateur Carlos Soldevilla on March 2, and have since renamed it Vine Bistro Scratch Kitchen and Wine Bar. They will host a grand opening on Friday, April 7, with signature tapas to celebrate their launch.
Their full lunch and dinner menus, featuring southern contemporary dishes, will be available next week.
The chefs have worked in the food industry for over a decade.
Bartley, a graduate of Calvary Christian Academy, grew up in Ormond Beach and worked for her family’s trucking and delivery logistics business until she decided to pursue the culinary arts. At 26, she decided to attend The Culinary Institute of America.
“I loved every second of it,” Bartley said. “I didn’t want to leave and ... my passion just grew from there, and I realized that this is the business that I really belong in.”
She later studied at Le Cordon Bleu, as well.
Falzon, who studied at the Asbury Park Culinary School, has worked with several top chefs, including celebrity Chef David Burke and Chef Nicholas Wilkins, who worked under Chef Gordon Ramsay. He also worked under James Beard-nominated Chef Drew Araneo, of Drew’s Bayshore Bistro in New Jersey, for over six years.
“Everything that has transpired over the last few years — the mentorship and training at all levels, meeting my future bride, and now, owning a restaurant — I thank the Araneos,” Falzon said.
Bartley and Falzon met in 2019 while working together as chefs at a resort. Falzon said it was love at first sight.
“I just ran into her,” he said. “Not physically — I just turned around. I saw a woman walk in with sheet trays in her hand and I turned around to grab them, and I was just like, ‘Oh.’”
They got engaged on Christmas Day last year in Ormond Beach.
And three months later, their dream of operating a restaurant together came true.
“We’ve always wanted to find the right opportunity to start something of our own,” Bartley said. “We’ve considered food trucks. We’ve looked at other places in the area, and nothing was really a good fit.”
They had, however, frequented To Better Days in the past and would joke with Soldevilla about buying the bistro from him.
So when they saw an Observer article about Soldevilla listing his business for sale, they came over to the bistro immediately to discuss the opportunity.
With menu items such as their Da’Vine shrimp, which comes drizzled with Worcestershire beer cream sauce over homemade cornbread, and an onion soup with munster and gruyere cheese, Falzon said they strived to enhance the existing menu.
“We just want to make it simple — really high quality ingredients, really good food,” he said. “And just a nice, relaxing place to come for a meal.”
They look forward to growing their new business, too.
They’re grateful to have retained the existing staff, but Falzon would also love to train young aspiring chefs and add to their team.
Future growth is part of the inspiration behind the new name.
“Like a vine, we started as a seed, and we plan to grow and get stronger,” Bartley said.
“And let people know there’s wine here,” Falzon added.
Vine Bistro is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
