Beebe brought Fuzio to Modesto in 1998, he introduced area foodies to a new concept of dining experience. Now known as Fuzio Universal Bistro (formerly Universal Pasta), the downtown restaurant mixes the convenience of casual dining with the service, menu and atmosphere of a fine dining restaurant.

“Having been in the quick service restaurant business with Taco Bell, and in casual dining with Chevy’s, I looked at Fuzio and saw a different category,” said Allen Beebe, Owner. “This was a fairly small restaurant which offered high quality food at a reasonable price but with fast service.”

Fuzio’s unique combination of casual and fine dining has proven to be a successful formula. The company is currently in growth mode, with two locations opened in Sacramento and Fremont in the past six months and four more openings planned for the first quarter of 2009. 

“We feel that we can grow in this time because we have been able to make some fairly lucrative real estate deals in today’s market,” Beebe said. “We feel the concept can be very successful in today’s market and as the economy then turns, we can be even more successful.”

The company’s growth is setting the stage for its award-winning franchisee program. Beebe is developing a program that will provide franchisees with a package that includes systems for décor, operations training, point of sales software, and equipment. The concept has already garnered industry praise, earning Restaurant Hospitality Magazine’s “Concept of Tomorrow” and Nations’ Restaurant News’ “Hot Concept” titles. 

The Modesto restaurant is currently approaching its eighth year as a member of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce.