Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Bill Cooper has kept much of the popular Bella Mia the same since he turned it into Bella Saratoga.

Bella Saratoga owner fed college kids for 30 years

By Anne Gelhaus

In transforming Bella Mia to Bella Saratoga, Bill Cooper hasn't changed much about the restaurant other than the name.

"The restaurant was very successful and popular in this format," says Cooper, who bought the establishment last June. "People threatened me with my life if I changed very much."

Chef Roger Sanchez is still on board, and the only major change to the menu has been in the way items are laid out.

"We've reformatted the menu to make things easier to find," Cooper says. "We're emphasizing vegetarian items by putting them into a separate category."

Other menu categories include pasta, poultry, seafood and flatbread pizzas. Bella Saratoga also serves combinations such as a half-order of chicken cannelloni with either a Caesar or a house salad.

Before taking the helm at Bella Saratoga, Cooper was in a different facet of the food-service business.

"I had retired from the Marriott Corporation," he says. "I fed college kids for 30 years."

Cooper spent his last 12 years with Marriott in charge of food service at Santa Clara University. Now, he says, he's getting used to the responsibilities of being his own boss.

"I've noticed a lot of difference between writing the checks myself and signing a requisition," he adds. "You're more independent, but you don't have the support you do in the corporate world."

Cooper has found a measure of support through the Saratoga Restaurant Association, a networking group for local restaurateurs.

"We've done joint advertising to promote the whole [Saratoga Village] area instead of just our individual businesses," he says.

Cooper says there is also a big difference between feeding college students on a daily basis and serving customers who come and go.

"At colleges," he adds, "your customer base is very repetitious throughout the academic year. We see more new customers here."

Cooper has found that his regular customers are interested in meeting the man who has taken over one of their favorite restaurants.

"Saratoga's very much an owner-operated community," adds the Campbell resident. "It's a fun community to be around."

Bella Saratoga, 14503 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. 741-5115. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday brunch served 10 a.m.-3 p.m.