"You're only as GOOD as Your Last Meal"

Three generations of the Gonzmart family share history, humor and hard-earned lessons

By Molly Urnek, ’20 // Advancement

As a microphone is clipped to Richard Gonzmart’s dress shirt, his wife of 52 years, Melanie, launches a half-joking, half-serious warning: “Watch your mouth.”

He rolls his eyes. Her smile widens.

Fourth-generation caretaker of the Columbia Restaurant Group and 1905 Family Of Restaurants, Richard is preparing for a cooking demo with his daughter Andrea Gonzmart Williams, ’01, and her daughter Amelia Turner in the Leona Genshaft Food and Culture Studio at USF. It’s their first time presenting together. Melanie wants him on his best behavior. Richard wants to actually cook something, like paella.

“Andrea got the last word on that one,” Melanie laughs.

For the inaugural installment of the Judy Genshaft Honors College’s Made to Share series, which brings together students and local chefs to explore diverse cultures through food, the trio prepared the restaurant’s award-winning Cuban sandwich and signature 1905 salad, all while sharing their family’s history. 

“Why don’t you tell the story because you’ve been around longer?” Andrea teases her dad. 

Family-owned and operated for more than 120 years, the Columbia Restaurant is regarded as Florida’s oldest restaurant and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. Richard, Andrea and Amelia represent the fourth, fifth and future sixth generations of leadership.

“We all grew up in the restaurant,” says Andrea. “It’s an honor that people come so far to experience something that is just part of our lives.”

As they prepare each dish, the recipes feel less like instructions and more like family secrets. Richard likes extra Worcestershire sauce on his salad. Andrea insists on more garlic in the dressing. Amelia adds plenty of pickles to her Cuban. 

Between ingredients, they share the lessons that have carried their family business through more than a century, including Richard’s favorite, “You’re only as good as your last meal.”

The audience of mainly students — with USF’s sixth president, Judy Genshaft, her husband Steve Greenbaum, and eighth president, Rhea Law, among them — watch and listen intently, their rapt silence broken only by bursts of laughter. 

Their humor notwithstanding, the Gonzmarts are serious experts. Richard can detect the slightest change in ingredients, from the brand of mustard to the cut of the salami. Quality control is sacred, he notes, sampling a salami slice.

“It’s a tough job tasting a Cuban sandwich at 7 a.m. every morning,” he jokes.

The family’s visit continues a long relationship with USF. Richard’s parents, Cesar and Adela, were early supporters. Subsequent generations have continued to give generously to athletics programs, scholarships and the under-construction on-campus stadium. Richard, an Alumni Association Life Member, received an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration in 2022 and served on the USF Foundation Board of Directors. Andrea, also a Life Member and past Foundation board member, serves on the USF Board of Trustees.

“It’s a very meaningful full‑circle moment in USF’s history,” says Charles Adams, dean of the Honors College. “Richard’s mother, Adela, welcomed Judy Genshaft into the USF community years ago, and now the Gonzmarts are enriching our students’ understanding of Tampa’s complex cultural history in a space honoring Judy’s mother, Leona.”

The food and culture studio, named for Genshaft’s mother, opened as part of the new college building in 2023 to support hands-on learning exploring the connections between food, culture and identity. Each semester it hosts dozens of class events. 

As students enjoyed their salads and sandwiches, they peppered the family with questions. 

“I’m inspired by how their family adapted over time,” says Katarina Zuniga, who’s majoring in biomedical sciences. “The food is great, too.”

After the final stories were shared, Richard unclipped his microphone and shook his head, saying, “I talk too much.” 

But even then, all three walked the room, continuing the conversation with students hungry for more. 

“Enjoy your time in college,” Andrea tells multiple, adding, “Nothing in life is so bad that a great meal can’t make better.”