What started as an exciting weekend for Carmine's Italian restaurant owner Michael Jacobbi quickly turned into a nightmare. The restaurant was participating in its 20th Taste of Buffalo, and earned its sixth award at the event. Then, Jacobbi received a call no restaurant owner wants to hear. Time Warner Cable news Reporter Alex Haight has the story.
WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. -- Michael Jacobbi is still trying to come to terms with his restaurant burning down.
"We were having a banner day at the Taste of Buffalo," Jacobbi said. "The weather was beautiful, we won an award for best seafood, and then around 1:00, I got a phone call that something was happening over at the restaurant."
Jacobbi was already on his way back to Carmine's to help his chefs with several large orders for their catering operation, but by the time he got there, several fire crews were already trying to battle the blaze.
"Something weird just happened with the grill, it started a fire, and it just escalated into something crazy," Jacobbi said.
The restaurant will be demolished in order for Jacobbi to rebuild.
The building had special meaning to him because it's been in the family for 45 years. Before he opened Carmine's 23 years ago, Jacobbi's father operated the Charlesgate Supper Club in the same location.
"It was nice dining, live entertainment, we had a piano bar here, family run restaurant here," Jacobbi said.
Jacobbi said it is too early to determine what the timetable is to rebuild the restaurant. Meantime, he said he might look into renting a kitchen space to revive their catering business.
One way or another, Carmine's will be back.
"This is what I do for a living, and I'd like to continue doing it," Jacobbi said.
Jacobbi said he was back out at the Taste of Buffalo on Sunday. He praised the event organizers for helping him close down Carmine’s booth early after they ran out of food. Jacobbi saidpeople came in droves to their booth to give their well wishes.