The Biz Beat: San Jose Italian eatery has an East Coast secret for ‘consistent umami’

One of the greatest compliments Jordanian-born George Keshek, owner of Ristorante da Maria in San Jose, ever received was when members of the Italian-American Heritage Foundation asked him to hold a class on how to cook his classic Bolognese.

“Teaching Italians how to make Italian food,” he told San José Spotlight. “But we do it in a very traditional style, with plum tomatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions and some other things. Everything is fresh, and we make it in-house every day.”