About

A Sicilian native, Vincenzo Betulia grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after his family emigrated to the United States when he was two years old. He began his career there at age 14 with an after-school job in Paul and Joe Bartolotta’s Ristorante Bartolotta. He ultimately attained the chef position, became a Bartolotta protégé and helped open two additional Bartolotta restaurants in Milwaukee, including the James Beard award-winning Lake Park Bistro serving classic French country fare. While attending the Kendall Culinary School in Chicago, Chef Vincenzo further honed his skills at Bartolotta’s acclaimed Spiaggia. In Chicago and later in Milwaukee, he also worked with Michael White, a fellow Kendall alum and and Bartolotta protégé. On a vacation in Naples, Florida, Chef Vincenzo fell in love with the area and secured a chef’s position at Campiello. He worked his way up to head chef, a position he held for nine years, before opening his namesake restaurant Osteria Tulia in 2013 and Bar Tulia, an Italian gastropub and craft cocktail bar, in December 2014. A culinary trendsetter and leader in Naples culinary evolution, Chef Vincenzo opened his third restaurant, The French, a French brasserie, in January 2017.

Chef Vincenzo was the first chef in Naples to host a Friends of James Beard Benefit dinner, and cooked at the world-renowned James Beard House in New York City in September 2016. His restaurant, Osteria Tulia, was recently voted Best Restaurant in Naples for the second time in the Naples Illustrated Dining Readers' Choice Awards. He has won a Best Chefs of America Award every year from 2013 to 2016. Chef Vincenzo was also featured in a segment of Emeril’s Florida, which aired on the Food Network and Cooking Channel, and was selected by Chef Emeril as the only Chef from Naples to participate in Emeril’s Taste of Florida, an event hosted by Visit Florida for the Association of Food Journalists’ annual conference. USA Today’s 10Best recognized Osteria Tulia as the #1 Cream of the Crop, #1 Italian restaurant and #1 Lunch Spot in Naples, Florida. Chef Vincenzo received a Naples Illustrated Readers’ Choice Award in 2015 for “Best New Chef.” Osteria Tulia was also recommended by Forbes Travel Guide, Peter Greenberg, The Fifty Best and Fodor’s. Further, the restaurant was awarded a Naples Illustrated Readers’ Choice Award in 2015 for “Best Restaurant,” Trip Advisor Hall of Fame, for receiving a Certificate of Excellence for 5 years in a row, and an Open Table Winner’s Choice Award 2016 and 2017. Osteria Tulia also received a Golden Spoon Award in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2018 by Florida Trend magazine, which selects the top restaurants in the state of Florida. Both Osteria Tulia and Bar Tulia have also received numerous accolades by Gulfshore Life magazine. The French received Best New Restaurant by Naples Illustrated and Gulfshore Life in 2018, and was recognized as one of the Best New Places to Dine in the State of Florida by Florida Trend magazine.

Frank Pullara brings 16 years of restaurant experience to Osteria Tulia's staff. While still in his teens, he had a passion for food, cooking and the dining experience, and the calling to be a chef. His career path began with a job as a line cook at a leading restaurant in his hometown of Milwaukee. He worked his way up the ladder while simultaneously attending culinary school and mastering classic techniques. On the night he graduated, he celebrated at an Italian restaurant that defined his ultimate dream of serving the simple, intensely-flavored dishes of his childhood, inherited by generations of grandmothers and mothers, based on finest quality ingredients that could be found. Although trained and experienced with diverse cuisines, his graduation night celebration recalled the gathering of his extended Italian family that included his cousin, Vincenzo Betulia. The cousins shared the dream of introducing diners to the ancient traditions of Italian home cooking with virtually every dish prepared from scratch. And more, to share the familial warmth rarely found in fine dining establishments. They began working together at top-rated restaurants, a journey that lead them to open Osteria Tulia, Bar Tulia and The French. Chef Frank is Executive Chef at all three concepts, managing a kitchen staff of more than 50 people, creating new menus and developing recipes alongside his cousin.

Having grown up in a household where everything was made from scratch and the family motto was, “Always leave room for dessert,” it comes as no surprise that Jessica King began creating her own culinary pastry masterpieces at an early age. She recalls having dessert every single night, of which her favorite was pie! Hailing from Winkler, a small town in Manitoba, Canada, Jessica first began cooking for large groups of people when she worked at a fishing lodge. It was at the lodge, where she learned the value of time management and organization necessary for fast pace, high quality production. With a desire to expand her knowledge of confection, Jessica moved to a town in Ontario and began making desserts and pastries for a coffee shop. This experience lit a spark that fueled her passion for becoming a chef. Upon moving to Naples with her husband, Jessica worked at an upscale restaurant alongside Chef Vincenzo until he opened Osteria Tulia where she started as the pastry chef. Now, as the Executive Pastry Chef at Osteria Tulia and The French, Jessica enjoys the hands on creativity involved in creating and preparing indulgent sweets; and finds great satisfaction seeing guests savor every bite. However, Jessica’s creativity isn’t limited to the kitchen. In her time off, you can most likely find her knitting. As an avid knitter, she will knit for up to six hours at a time! Whether knitting or baking, Jessica gets in the zone, and loves being successful in all she puts her hands to.

Born and raised in Michigan, Jason gathered regularly with his extended Polish family for "feasts of epic proportions" ranging from rye bread and real mincemeat pie to fresh made sauerkraut and sausages. These gatherings, along with a small push from his mother, inspired Jason to enter the restaurant world. Starting as a dishwasher while still in high school, his career spans more than 18 years and virtually every restaurant position, including line cook, lead cook, sous chef and assistant manager, in restaurants in Michigan, Colorado, Hawaii, and Florida. In between jobs, he studied chemical engineering in college. Jason's extensive restaurant experience, exposure to a numerous cultures and cuisines, scientific education, and family feasts, has made him a well-rounded communicator with diverse groups of people. His experience as the General Manager at Osteria Tulia and Bar Tulia, and passion for leadership and growth, combined with his training and love of food and genuine hospitality make him ideal for his new role at The French. Jason oversees the front of the house staff, manages the wine and beverage program and helps ensure an unsurpassable guest experience.