The Village Table: Bringing Global Soul Food to Telluride

Johnny G on Opening Night

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

“What’s that?” you ask.

Having the opportunity to open up a dining establishment in Telluride, Colorado, and having it be so warmly received by visitors and residents alike. John, or Johnny (as he is so affectionately called), Gerona, is the nice guy I’m referring to here. He and his wife, Janice, took the leap in May by opening up The Village Table, a fresh and inviting dining establishment in Telluride Mountain Village where everyone feels much at home.

It’s no wonder, since Johnny, a longtime Telluride local, puts a lot of love into his food. He learned to cook initially from his mama, an Italian, who, like most Italian mothers, devoted her time to making sure that everyone within her reach was well-fed and happy. After going to school to learn classical French culinary practices and working in some of the top restaurants in New York, the ski bum in Johnny finally landed in our beautiful mountain town of Telluride. He’s owned restaurants before in T-ride, worked for others and also operated a catering company for primarily loyal clients that have called upon his fine culinary services for years. And then the call came again to operate his own place, a restaurant where people could gather for lunch, tapas and dinner and enjoy the heartwarming European tradition of gathering for a delicious meal around the table; in this case, The Village Table.

Village Bar Scene

Johnny’s Signature Paella

Mediterranean Salad

Actually this bright and cheery eatery offers many different seating options inside and out (during fair weather) where folks many enjoy a global cuisine inspired from Johnny’s Italian/Spanish roots. As you will learn in my Travel Fun interview below, Johnny has been greatly influenced by his heritage, that of an Italian mother and a Spanish father. Add to that numerous trips to France (in addition to Italy and Spain) and you’ve got one heck of a Europhile who, as he states in our interview, also loves to travel to other colorful locales such as Mexico. All these experiences, along with his culinary training, culminate into the ability to serve up an authentic cuisine bursting with flavors and textures we all love to savor.

It’s no wonder The Village Table has become the talk of the town. Hats off to you, Johnny, and remember to just keep on spreading the love.

The Village Table, 618 Mountain Village Blvd., Telluride Mountain Village, 970-728-1117

Johnny’s Tip for Amateur and Professional Chefs

“Do a lot of reading,” Johnny tells me. He also is a devotee of The New York Times Dining section. “I have a pretty big collection of cookbooks,” he adds, too.

Saumon Français

Johnny (in white) and His Staff

Click here to listen to my interview with John Gerona, owner and operator of The Village Table in Telluride, Colorado:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download