Howard Richardson was born in Queens, New York where he cooked for his family since the age of 11 and enjoyed the cuisine of the many small, family owned restaurants of the various ethnic enclaves.  He came to San Diego in 1982. Howard entered the service industry at the La Jolla Marriott In 1987. Howard became Restaurant Manager for the Mission Valley landmark, Seau’s, in 1996.  Influenced by his nostalgic memories of the traditional, independently owned restaurants he grew up with in New York City, in 2005 Howard co-opened BMH Italian with the aim of establishing a down-to-earth, superior-quality, traditional Italian deli to serve the East County and beyond. BMH Italian strives to share with the customer the experience of enjoying authentic, home-style food that they will always remember.

Maria Sardina

Maria Sardina, more widely known as “Mama” to her fond customers, was born in the small fishing village of Porticello, near Palermo, Sicily, where she grew up cooking alongside her mother and cultivating an interest and skill in cuisine at a very young age.  In 1956 she immigrated to the United States, first living in Chicago, then Buffalo, before settling in San Diego in 1966.  In the late 60s, Maria opened Milano Restaurant and Deli.  A longtime resident of La Mesa, she also worked at the La Mesa fixture Mama Lina’s—the deli formerly housed in the building BMH now inhabits—for many years.  Additionally, Maria took her old world methods and natural intuition for food to the upscale restaurants of the Gaslamp, working at Fio’s in 1997, then Aqua Blue in 2000.  In 2005, Maria co-opened BMH Italian. Maria is pleased to offer her customers a taste of her native Sicily with her signature recipes lovingly prepared in the traditional style.