Old world charm wins new business of the year

Planning, designing and running a restaurant is hard work and even harder if your business partner is your spouse.

Tommy and Cassie Orduno, owners and operators of Bella’s Bistro, not only pulled it off, they won the Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce “New Business of the Year” award in the process.

The two worked together before marriage at Sullivan’s Steak House in Denver. Cassie was a graphic designer and working as a lighting consultant for architects designing commercial buildings, and after they were married, Orduno got a degree in solar technology.

The two were thinking of leavi...