Earl Enterprises may reopen Winter Park Brio Italian

Discussions to bring Bravo Italian back to Orlando

The Orlando-based owner of Planet Hollywood is in discussions to bring back Winter Park’s Brio Italian Mediterranean and could also return Bravo Fresh Italian to Orlando after taking over the two restaurant chains.

Earl Enterprises has acquired a minimum of 45 leases from FoodFirst Global Restaurants, chairman Robert Earl said, but he is hopeful that number ends up being considerably higher. FoodFirst, which moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Orlando in 2018, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April.

“We feel that there is a lot of growth in the brand but stage one is to restore it to its old glory,” Earl said.

Earl Enterprises has reached out to the landlord for the Winter Park Brio, formerly called Brio Tuscan Grille, to bring back the restaurant. There is also a Brio at Mall at Millenia.

Bravo Fresh Italian, previously called Bravo Cucina Italiana, had a Sand Lake Road restaurant that closed in 2018. Earl wants the restaurant chain back in Orlando.

“I was a big customer of that one,” Earl said.

Brio and Bravo had 110 restaurants when they were acquired by FoodFirst in 2018. Ten locations were closed in January, and the company was looking to close more restaurants in its April bankruptcy filing.

The acquisition by Earl Enterprises — which owns Planet Hollywood, Buca di Beppo, Bertucci’s, Earl of

Sandwich, and Chicken Guy — gives the company four Italian brands, which Earl believes can let it compete with large chains.

He added he was proud to “preserve about 4,000 jobs” and the Orlando corporate offices have merged.

FoodFirst had cited the coronavirus pandemic as part of its bankruptcy filing.

“FoodFirst’s difficult position prior to the pandemic makes its current situation even more precarious,” a bankruptcy document stated. “In order to save jobs and the viable restaurants it will be necessary to pursue a company sale and an accompanying management services agreement.”