Chef Danny Barbos stood next to a tool he calls “the Lamborghini of pizza ovens,” a Marana, and smiled as he pulled out another perfect pizza creation.
It was what he calls “The Godfather,” a combination of homemade tomato sauce, homemade beef meatballs and homemade fresh mozzarella, along with caramelized onions, parmesan cheese and basil.
The setting could have been in the midst of any busy restaurant hub, but it wasn’t. As people tested this new pizza option for Lakewood Ranch, they looked out the window at the Legacy Golf Club course. It is, indeed, a serene setting, but perhaps not what you would expect from a golf course clubhouse.
Jon Whittemore, who with partner Kevin Paschall formed Legacy Golf Holdings, LLC, and own the course, are looking for ways to increase revenues after spending more than $2 million in renovations since they purchased the course in 2015.