[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING VARALLO'S RESTAURANT AS IT CELEBRATES 101 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2008

  Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Varallo's, 
Nashville's oldest continuously operated restaurant, and offer my 
heartfelt congratulations on its 101st anniversary.
  Founded in 1907 by Frank Varallo, Sr., a former traveling musician 
who played for the likes of President Theodore Roosevelt, Varallo's 
Restaurant has been a gathering place for Tennessee's governors and 
legislators, Nashville's mayors and politicians, musicians and movie 
stars, athletes and artists, business leaders and students, and anyone 
who was hungry.
  Four generations of the Varallo family have served their world famous 
``chile''--a special recipe acquired by Frank Varallo, Sr., during his 
travels in South America. At the age of 14, Frank Varallo, Jr., took 
over the business upon the death of his father. For more than 70 years, 
Frank, Jr., served the restaurant's unique three-way ``chile'' 
combination to generations of Tennesseans and made a reputation for 
himself by providing inspirational messages that came to be known as 
``Thoughts from The Bottom of a Chili Bowl.''
  Today, great-grandson Todd Varallo, who joined the business shortly 
after he graduated from high school, operates the restaurant and 
continues to serve up the ``chile'' that launched the restaurant's 
``century of success.'' The restaurant also continues to be the scene 
of many negotiations, meetings, conferences and consultations that 
shape the course of Nashville and Tennessee history.
  Madam Speaker, I join everyone in Tennessee's Fifth District in 
applauding Varallo's Restaurant, and I commend the entire Varallo 
family for their century-long service to the citizens of Nashville and 
middle Tennessee.

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