Brad Gustafson ’80

Alumni Spotlight

BE T H L E H E M A C A D E M Y

BA Grad Serves Authentic Italian Cuisine to Faribo..On June 15, 2011, Brad Gustafson ’80 opended the doors of his Italian bistro to the Faribault community. Brad’s restaurant, Augusto’s Ristorante, comes from his desire to incorporate his family name, an Italian twist, and his own ideals. Augusto, meaning respectable and humble, seemed to fit the bill! The restaurant serves Southern Italian cuisine, with a special emphasis on the piadina, an Italian version of a quesadilla. With the popular trend toward flat breads and tortillas, Brad thought this would be a unique twist. Augusto’s employs nine people and seats about 50 patrons. Brad was first bit by the cooking bug at about the age of 16. His parents, Bob and Marlene (Stanton) Gustafson ’58, owned a catering business, and while they were creating wonderful dishes for the greater Faribault community, Brad would tinker in the kitchen at home.

Brad then decided to take his passion for cooking to the next level. He attended the Dakota County Technical School’s chef program and then entered UW-Stout to study business management. In the mid ‘90’s he went to Hyde Park in New York City and enrolled in the Culinary Institute. He has since helped to open nine other restaurants nationally and internationally for different owners. However, this time he wanted to own the restaurant himself, being able to make his own plans and fashion everything to his personal tastes. When asked about his fondest memory of BA, Brad pondered a moment, started to smile a bit, and said, “I loved the fall and playing football at Teepee Tonka Park under coach Tom Raiche; he taught me about drive and motivation.” We wish Brad success with his newest venture. If you wish to stop by, his bistro is located at 508 Central Avenue in Faribault. If you have a party of six or more, calling 331-1098 for a reservation would be appreciated.

We share a common thread... That is BA. We want to share many stories of our alums and the paths that life is taking them. If you feel you

know of someone who has an interesting story to tell, please contact us at

advancement@bacards.org.