My mother used to cook-that's what she did that was so special. I remember being 7, coming home from school to find my mother making spaghetti for dinner. I used to watch her perform what I thought was magic. Sometimes she would let me stir the sauce or lick the spoon when she was done. I loved those jobs.

She cooked with only the freshest ingredients and made everything from scratch. She never used a recipe, she knew it all by heart. My mother poured out her heart into every meal and served it with pride. Whether it was a Monday evening family supper or a Saturday night dinner party, mealtime at our house was an event. At Valentine's our promise to you is to provide the same quality, care and enthusiasm for every meal you share with us. My mother is the inspiration for everything we do.

To my mother's friends she was special. To the rest of the world, my mom might not have been extraordinary, but she was to me. Valentine's is dedicated to her memory, her culinary prowess, enjoyment of pleasing people, and everything she did for me.

To my mother, Valentine DiLeonardo Sunseri.

About Our Chef

Springfield native, Kirk Bright is no stranger to the local food scene.  With over 17 years of culinary experience his natural god-given talent has exploded into a full-fledged professional career.  Through his career began long before Springfield diners took notice of Chef Bright when he became Executive Chef of the local legendary fine dining restaurant Clary’s.  His clientele included political figures such as Governor and Congressman Blunt.  The pressure that this level of cuisine brought further sparked Chef Bright’s love of the culinary arts.  He then decided to pursue his passion and moved to the world renowned “food city”, New Orleans, LA, to further his knowledge.

Upon arrival in New Orleans, Chef Bright studied under a French Master Chef and close associate of Emeril LaGassi.  He quickly rose through the ranks and before long was cooking along side of 2007 Hell’s Kitchen winner Chef Rock and preparing meals for celebrities such as Tommy Hilfiger.  Chef Bright’s culinary knowledge grew exponentially.  He couldn’t wait to bring all he had learned back to his hometown, Springfield, Missouri.

Our Owner & President

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Joe attended North Allegheny High School and then Gannon University, Erie Pennsylvania where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1980.  It was here in college that he started his restaurant career by worked his way through college as Student Cafeteria Manager.

Immediately upon graduation he accepted an entry-level manager position with Steak and Ale Restaurants and was quickly promoted to the position of General Manager.  After two years with Steak and Ale, he accepted an offer with Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurants.  His career with Chi-Chi's spanned 10 years, as well as 10 states during which time he opened 18 new restaurants and was the Area Supervisor for the southeast region.  Personal achievements include the breaking of the Guinness World Book of Records for the Largest Margarita, 938 gallons in 1991.

In 1991 he joined On the Border, Mexican Cafe as Vice President and Partner of Central Florida Texas Cafes Inc.  He was responsible for all new store operations and training.  In 1993, Joe was the Vice President of Operations at Shooters Waterfront Café in Ft. Lauderdale Florida and was involved in opening domestic and International locations.  Shooters offered him the experience of working with independent Franchises in areas of the Southeast, Northeast, Mexico and Puerto Rico with sales volumes that exceeded $100k in a day and yearly volumes of 12+ million in sales.

He was also employed with The Crab House Seafood Restaurant and held the position of Director of New Store Operations and was involved in the openings of 6 restaurants throughout the United States.

The position that brought him to Springfield was Director of Food Services for Bass Pro Shops, Outdoor World.  Responsibilities included the opening and daily operation of 3 high volume seafood restaurant with sales in excess of 22 million dollars and 9 specialty snack and coffee shop concepts.  Currently he is the owner of Valentine’s Restaurant which opened on April 29, 2002.  Joe is married to Melissa Sunseri and in 2006 they had a son named Nicholas Valentine Sunseri.

About The Art Work, Charles Fazzino

As the creator of limited edition fine art silkscreen serigraphs, Charles Fazzino is best known for his obsession for bright colors and wonderful detail, the frenetic energy that infuses his work, and a unique hand assembled 3-D layering technique that brings his images to life. Viewers of Fazzino’s work are pulled, voluntarily or not, into the bright and often whimsical scenes, where they fully experience the hustle and bustle of the world around them.

Most Famous for his 3-D renderings of New York and countless other cities, Fazzino has also created masterfully vibrant and detailed tributes to such popular icons as The New York Yankees, The Super Bowl, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Alfred Hitchcock, The Characters of Walt Disney, and the United States Olympic Team. Japan’s Mt. Fuji Museum, The Kraft Company in Greece, the city of Boeblingen, Germany, The United Carnival Krewes of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, The United States Tennis Association Foundation, The Sands Hotel/Casino, and Swiss National Television, are among the organizations that have commissioned Fazzino originals.

Fazzino also boasts a prestigious list of project partners including NBC’s "Today Show," The NBC Experience Store, The United States Olympic Committee, TV Guide, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s NYC 2000 Committee, The National Football League (Super Bowls XXXV, XXXVI, XXXVII), Major League Baseball (2003 All-Star Game), and Warner Bros. Studios. He has also contributed his time and art to Rosie O’Donnell’s For All Kids Foundation, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, and many other charitable organizations. He was also the Official Artist of the 2004 GRAMMY Awards and the 2004 Indianapolis 500 Mile Road Race. He has created masterfully detailed three-dimensional tributes to such famous icons as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, the New York Yankees, and the characters of Walt Disney.

Charles Fazzino is published exclusively by Museum Editions, LTD.