With hard work, dreams really do come true. Claudio Borin is proof of that. Decades ago, Borin emigrated from Italy as a 20-year-old with a dream to open a restaurant. Today he is the proud owner of The Sage Room Restaurant. The success of the cozy Italian eatery on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Kanan Dume Road has recently led Borin to open another restaurant by the same name, Sage Room, in Agoura Hills.
The secrets to his success are not very secret: hard work, commitment and dedication.
“I never give up,” Borin says.
Boren opened his first restaurant, Tra di Noi, in Malibu in 1991. Eight years later he left the restaurant to his business partners and ventured out to open The Sage Room.
The restaurant’s name has meaning resonating back to his childhood in Italy.
“Sage has been my favorite herb since I was a child,” Borin said. “It also means wise, and I’m becoming wiser everyday.”
Borin lives in Agoura Hills, but grew up in San Remo, Italy. His parents owned a small trattoria, where he learned the art of Italian cuisine from his mother.
Borin tributes his family—including his wife, son, and mother—for helping him run the restaurant. His mother, Mamma Rosa, visits from Italy once a year and offers insight and training to the chefs.
“She brings the original recipe with her and cooks,” Borin said. “Recipes are prepared daily with the most passion and love.”
Robert Grenner, a good friend of Borin’s, is the executive chef at The Sage Room in Malibu.
“He adds different depths to the cuisine,” Borin said. “The Sage Room’s success is due in large part to the team’s commitment to culinary excellence.”
The Sage Room offers “country style home Italian cooking with a twist.” The food is prepared with seasonal ingredients and stays up to date with today’s dietary concerns, Borin said.
The Sage Room has recently introduced a whole new wine list with an array of interesting labels ranging from Chile, Argentina, Italy, France and California.
Located in the heart of Malibu, Borin says his restaurant has a lot of regular customers.
“I like to give better service than people expect,” Borin said.
The Sage Room Malibu is open in the evenings from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is located at 28915 Pacific Coast Highway.
For more information visit www.sageroommalibu.com or call 310.457.0711.