Bravo! It's unfortunate that Chef Donna has created so many problems for himself and others with his mangement gaffes. The courts and the IRS can sort that out. What is undeniable is that he is a remarkably talented chef who brought sublime Italian cooking to DC. While we now have several outstanding oprions for high end Italian (Fiola, Bibiana, Tosca, Elisir), first there was Galileo. and who can't wistfully recall Laboratorio?

Many thanks for reporting this honor for Roberto Donna. As your article notes, he brought high-end Italian food to Washington. Among our best culinary experiences have been the incomparable New Year's Eve feasts which he prepared himself and served in his kitchen, and his cooking classes. The classes were small and personal, with invaluable tips and stories of growing up in Italy, making ravioli at the family kitchen table and harvesting parsley on his grandfather's farm. We have him to thank for rescuing us from the rich formal French cuisine that dominated Washington before he opened Galileo. With all the Italian restaurants he helped start, it is hard to imagine that his "life style" consisted of anything but work to introduce Washingtonians to the rich variety of Italian cuisine. He has his detractors, but it is important to note that many staff members who have moved on to other restaurants still speak of him fondly and with respect.

Roberto Donna should be in jail awaiting trial for theft. He allegedly stole tax receipts etc again to fund his lifestyle