Chef/Owner, Richard Cranmer
Chef Richard Cranmer opened Zinicola restaurant in 2017. Located in Ballantyne Village, Zinicola has firmly established a reputation as an authentic Italian eatery with a welcoming atmosphere for inviting your family and friends to join the Zinicola family for great food, beverages, cocktails and conversation over the dinner table.
Richard was born in Brielle, New Jersey, and grew up in Spring Lake, New Jersey. He studied the culinary arts at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, left for a while and returned to stay in 2015. He met his wife, Najiya, who is a Charlotte native after moving to the Queen City.
Richard is the father of two sons, an eight-year-old and a three-month-old. Richard shares that his oldest child loves playing sports—football, baseball and practicing Taekwondo. Like most kids his age, he enjoys playing video games with his many cousins. Not surprisingly, his son’s favorite foods are pizza and pasta. He loves his dad’s food and Richard loves serving it to him too. Richard notes his son especially loves it when his dad cooks steak for the family on Sundays.
The Joy of Fatherhood
When asked what it was like becoming a father, Richard states, “Becoming a father has been the most rewarding, amazing thing in my life. Having a wonderful wife and mother to share this experience with has been such a blessing. It makes me feel like the luckiest man in the world.” While owning and running his own restaurant has been a “lifelong passion” for Richard, he is quick to point out that he would not have been able to realize his dream if it weren’t for the love and support of his wife and kids.
Still, like most professionals, Richard agrees that maintaining the right work/life balance presents challenges. Richard admits, “I had to sacrifice a lot in the early days of the business, but now I have a really good team that allows me to spend more time at home. We also close the restaurant on Sundays, which is a good thing for me and the whole team and their families.” This is particularly important to Richard as he recalls, “When I was growing up, my dad worked a lot, but the times we spent on the weekends are some of my best childhood memories.”
Richard also notes that trips his family took to Italy to visit his grandparents and cousins were “amazing.” He has often credited the influence of his Italian mother and grandmother “Nona” as inspirations for his love of cooking, making pasta from scratch and preparing fresh Italian dishes with quality ingredients, care and respect.
Richard is a great example of the success stories coming from Johnson and Wales and we're happy he chose to stay here.
Experience dining at Zinicola with your family today at 14835 Ballantyne Village Way, Suite 140, Charlotte, NC 28277 or visit ZinicolaItalian.com.
Orthodontist, Dr. Colin Webb
Dr. Colin Webb leads a team of some of the most accomplished orthodontists in the nation with expert knowledge and experience in using the Invisalign and LightForce braces systems. Webb’s orthodontic practice is one of the best in the Charlotte Metro area, with locations in SouthPark, Arboretum, Blakeney/Ballantyne, South End, and Huntersville. His practice was just voted the Best Orthodontist in our magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards competition by our readers, viewers and social media followers for the 6th year in a row!
Colin is a bit of a rarity, a Charlotte native who returned to the Queen City after completing his education, even moving his young family into the SouthPark neighborhood of Foxcroft where he lived on Silver Bell Dr. as a kid! After graduating from Providence Day High School, he earned his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill before completing his formal education at the University of Maryland Dental School. There, he met his wife, Kelly, a Pennsylvania native and dentist who now enjoys calling North Carolina home.
A Strong Commitment to Family
Webb Orthodontics is a second-generation, family-owned business. Colin explains, “My dad was an orthodontist and I joined him in 2013, 10 years ago; we were able to practice together for six years, which was really special.” Colin’s father retired in 2019 and since that time, Colin has worked to expand the practice to give more patients access to the highest level of orthodontic treatment.
Colin loves being a dad to his three children, his daughter, five-year-old Bennett, son James who is three years old and his youngest child, Thomas, who is one and a half. Colin shares, “One of the things I enjoy most about being a dad is being with my children when they experience things for the first time. It's so real and there is an aspect of nostalgia that comes with it. For example, we're currently teaching Bennett how to ride a bike without training wheels, and I have memories of doing this with my dad just one street over from where I'm doing it with my daughter today. That’s pretty special.”
It's clear Colin is devoted to his children. He describes Bennett as being their “very artistic and a smart left-handed little firecracker.” As for his sons, Colin describes James as “a sweet boy who loves airplanes and dinosaurs” and explains that his youngest, Thomas, “is just starting to come into his little personality” but claims it looks as if he is “trending toward developing into another firecracker, just like his big sister!” With a good-natured laugh, Colin notes, “Of course, like any self-respecting father, I've raised them to love their Tar Heels and Panthers!”
To learn more about Dr. Webb and his practice or to schedule a consultation, call Webb Orthodontics at 704.364.7343 or visit Webb-Orthodontics.com today!
