VUE ON | DINING
Growing up with his Greek immigrant parents owning
a successful Jersey City subway car diner and having a
passion for serving great food, Bobby Bournias has
hospitality in his soul and an extensive understanding
of the joy that comes from welcoming people in and
connecting them through a culinary experience.
"I grew up in this business. I've had an apron on since I
was five or six years old," Bobby Bournias joked when
recalling the time he's enjoyed working in hospitality.
As a child, Bournias spent a ton of time in his family's
diner, learning the ins and outs of owning and
running a restaurant, and ultimately falling in love
with hospitality. With his parents urging him to get
an education and choose a path of his own, Bobby
Bournias became a lawyer and practiced for five years
before he decided that he wanted to ditch his serious
suit-and-tie persona. It was 2005 and Bournias'
parents, Peter and Irene, were looking to rebuild their
original restaurant in Jersey City. Taking a leap of
faith, Bobby took a leave of absence from practicing
law to focus on the rebuilding and rebranding of his
family's diner and never looked back. With Bournias'
passion for pancakes, hard work, and a true love for
creating memories through food, Brownstone Diner
opened and recaptured the hearts of not only the
community, but also Guy Fieri who featured the
restaurant's seemingly endless variety of pancakes on
his show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
with
BY B R I A N N A R O B E R T I E L L O
54 VUENJ.COM
