By Zeena Gregg
The Walsh family of High Country West is realizing their dream: Living in Southern California and owning their own restaurant.
Tim Walsh – originally from Minnesota – and wife Tammy originally met in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she attended high school and college. A chance meeting between their parents involving car trouble and a tow truck set the wheels in motion for the couple to get to know each other in 1981, shortly after Tim had moved to the area.
Though they lived in Greensboro for 23 years before moving to San Diego in 2007, the family longed to be closer to family in California and had dreamed for years about owning their own restaurant. Their decision to settle in High Country West provided the opportunity for both to come to fruition.
“We love that we are so close to the beach and mountains where the boys can go snowboarding,” Tammy said. “And we were lucky enough to find a restaurant right in Rancho Bernardo when the time came to own our own place. We have always enjoyed the area and the fact that we could be close to our family and business is such a blessing.”
Mama Cella’s Italian Restaurant is where friends and family will find Tim, Tammy and 22-year-old son Tyler at all hours of the day. Together, they run the day to day operations of the restaurant and the catering side of the business. The older kids Amanda and Ryan, help out whenever they are in town. Tim’s family owned a restaurant when he was growing up and now he carries on the tradition by using recipes that came from his grandmother, Antonetti. Along with her meatballs, pizza sauce and sausage, diners will find Antonetti’s picture on the menu. The restaurant is dedicated to Tim’s dad, John Walsh, who passed away the month after the Walsh family purchased the restaurant.
As busy as they are with the restaurant, Tim and Tammy find the time to have “date night” once a week and attend sporting events that the children are involved in. The three youngest (Tyler; Shane, 13; and Nicholas, 11) all play basketball year around at the 4S Ranch Boys & Girls Club. Tim and Shane play golf, Nick plays football, Tyler and 23-year-old son Ryan (who is a college student now) go snowboarding and Tammy and 26-year-old Amanda – who lives and continues her college education in North Carolina – love doing “girly things” together. “Shopping and having a mani/pedi together…those are our two ‘musts’ when she comes to visit,” Tammy said.
“Most important is that our five children know we have dedicated our life to make sure that they are the most important aspects of our life and that we work hard in our business and personal life to make sure that they are happy” said Tammy. “At the end of the day, no matter what is going on with any of us it’s all about our family.”
I have known Tammy most of my life (from the “old country” and I am sooo proud of her and her amazing family. The restaurant is one of our family’s faves and the family is one that we can all only aspire to emulate. I feel honored to know the Walshes.
I have known Tammy most of my life (from the “old country” and I am sooo proud of her and her amazing family. The restaurant is one of our family’s faves and the family is one that we can all only aspire to emulate. I feel honored to know the Walshes.