Critics across America have praised Bob Calderone's food, calling it "bold,"  "prepared with real gusto," and "creative." He burst on the national scene in the early 1990's and by 1993 Money magazine declared he was running one of the best restaurants in America. Bon Appétit and Esquire soon offered their own accolades, propelling Bob to the upper ranks of his chosen field. Not bad for a young man who started his cooking career at McDonald's.

Bob grew up in Somerville, Massachusetts, the youngest of three children. He remembers his first restaurant jobs as simply a way to make a little money. But that changed quickly in 1979 when he began to work at Panache in Cambridge. Chef-owner Bruce Frankel was pushing a new type of food, nouvelle French, and Bob was fascinated. He counts Frankel as one of the most important influences on his career, a man who forced him to take the restaurant business seriously while learning to express his creativity in the kitchen. Bob worked side-by-side with Frankel for the next nine years; even running the entire show for two years while Frankel concentrated on a new restaurant. After this new venture closed, Frankel returned to Panache but downscaled it to become 798 Main Street.

Bob left to expand his repertoire by cooking at several Boston area hotels including the Lafayette Hotel, the Copley Plaza and the Dedham Hilton. In 1992, Bob returned to 798 Main Street to purchase the restaurant with his significant other Susan Finegold, who is now his wife. They changed the named to Anago Bistro and together turned it into one of the hottest restaurants in the country with its innovative and exciting wood-grilled American cuisine, dramatic décor and gracious service. Big, bold flavors are Bob's signature.

By 1997 Anago had become too small to contain Chef Calderone’s robust cuisine.  The restaurant doubled in size and moved to the elegant Lenox Hotel in Boston’s Back Bay. As part of The Lenox’s $20 million renovation, the legendary Diamond Jim’s piano bar was transformed into the intimate dining space.  Rich quilted fabrics adorn the banquettes and window treatments of the beaux-arts dining room.  A vaulted 15-foot canvas ceiling, arched French style windows and whimsical wrought iron chandeliers maintain the classic qualities of the turn of the century room.  The centerpiece of the open kitchen is the custom built wood-burning oven.  This, along with the wood-fire grill and rotisserie, provides a dramatic sense of warmth.

The restaurant has continued to win accolades since its move.  The Boston Globe gives it three and a half stars (on a scale of four).  The New York Times singled out Anago as a “must try” for visitors coming to Boston. His food has been called nourishing, hearty and always satisfying. He draws heavily on his Mediterranean roots for inspiration and is known for creatively balancing flavors. Sampling menus are another specialty at Anago as Bob loves to see his guests enjoy a wide variety of dishes. He believes a great restaurant not only offers excellent food but also creates an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming. His success is a tribute to both his culinary creativity and his common sense philosophy that diners recognize as the mark of a man who truly loves to make his customers happy.