BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar goes SMOKE FREE

When the doors opened at BRAVO! on Tuesday, Sept 16th for lunch, something was missing... the ashtrays in the bar. 

BRAVO! owners Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal decided that the time was right to provide a completely smoke free environment for their guests.

"Most folks won’t remember this, but when we opened 14 years ago, we were one of the only restaurants in Jackson that did not have a smoking section in the restaurant, so we have always been sensitive to the issue of smoke in our dining room,” states Jeff Good.   “When we built BRAVO!, we installed a special air handling system to draw the air away from the dining room, and towards our bar.  Three years ago, we added a large Smokeater™ in the cocktail area, but over time we have come to realize that these were really just false premises.  Our entire space is open, so it is difficult to corral all the smoke from even a few guests’ cigarettes.  To this end, we have chosen to join the movement and go 100% smoke free.”

“Since food and wine are what we are all about, it only makes sense to up our game and provide the absolute best atmosphere in which to enjoy our offerings”, asserts Dan Blumenthal, BRAVO! Executive Chef and co-owner.  “Smoke gets in the way of flavor and smell… and I want my guests to fully connect to our food on all senses.”

Jeff Good adds “In a nutshell, we feel that going smoke free is good for our customers, good for our employees and good for business.   By going smoke free, we feel we are enhancing the BRAVO! experience for all”.

“The Smoke-free Jackson Coalition is very pleased that BRAVO! is taking the initiative to go smokefree prior to the implementation date of February, “ states Anita Bales, American Cancer Society Health Initiatives Representative.  “Smoke-free Jackson is a coalition of city residents, health-related organizations, neighborhood associations, civic groups and faith-based organizations.  Our common mission is to work with the community and city officials to encourage policies and practices that protect people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.  Jeff and Dan are not only visionaries in the business world but also in the health and well-being of their patrons and employees.”