Carbone's Wins the Gold!

(Vinnie Carbone, Bela Karolyi & Mary-Beth Corraccio)

It's was quite a week!
Here in Hartford, the Visa Championships (a U.S. Gymnastics qualifying competition) was in town and the city was hopping with 20,000 plus visitors from all over the country. Carbone's was busy with several other Hartford restaurants participating in the "Taste of the Visa Championships" - a restaurant competition designed to promote health and nutrition hosted by U.S. Gymnastics sponsor, St. Vincent Sports Performance. The task at hand was to come up with a healthy but delicious menu item, judged by none other than legendary Olympic Gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi. Bela spent two days restaurant hopping with his panel of fellow judges. It was a very competitive field, with fabulous food everywhere. But the winner...
Singled out for not only having great food, but "a heart", Carbone's took the Gold! Our own Mary-Beth Corraccio proudly accepted the genuine U.S. Gymnastic Gold medal from Bela Karolyi himself at a ceremony at The Old State House - shown below:

Or read all about it in Maryellen Fillo's "Java" column in The Hartford Courant:
Bela Karolyi
Dubs Carbone's
The King
by Maryellen Fillo
August 16th, 2020
The Hartford Courant

Bela Karolyi and his fellow judges preferred to dine in the bar, swapping stories with Carbone's regulars.

Vinnie and Bela promote The Taste of the Visa Championships with Heather Hegedus and Curtis Grenevitz of WFSB Channel 3.

Fourteen year old Rebecca Sereda, a rising star on the U.S. Gymnastics Junior Rhythmic Gymnastic Team dines at Carbone's with her dad. Rebecca went on to win two Gold medals during the Visa Championships. Could it have been the pasta? Here's Rebecca in action!