Coming from a family of restaurateurs, Anthony Trapani ’17 has a knack for the restaurant business. During the final semester of his senior year at Lehigh, an opportunity arose to open Zest. The timing felt right, especially after an internship at a large corporation helped him realize the traditional corporate path wasn’t for him.
Trapani has served as Zest’s manager since the restaurant opened in January 2019.
“I love how the industry is always changing,” he says. “You meet and talk to new people every day, welcoming them in for all kinds of occasions. It’s rewarding to play a small part in their lives.”
His family also owns and operates Grille 3501 in Allentown and Thyme Rooftop Grille in Easton. Trapani played an integral role in launching both Zest and Thyme, helping shape their concepts, oversee planning, and manage day-to-day operations.
Running a business with family isn’t for everyone, but for Trapani, it’s created an even closer bond. His family continues to motivate and inspire him, particularly as he prepares to welcome his first child with Julia Atiyeh ’17 this August.
He’s also driven by the more than 140 employees who rely on him, a responsibility that pushes him to be his best self each day.
“I’ve done just about everything in the restaurant aside from cooking,” he says. “I worked my way up from being a dishwasher because I wanted to understand every facet of the business. A restaurant is a true team operation, and everyone needs to be on the same page to run a successful night of service.”
That ambition is evident in the long nights and weekends often required to succeed in the restaurant industry. Trapani finds it well worth the effort. He also values Zest’s proximity to his alma mater.
“My Lehigh education prepared me for an entrepreneurial role like this,” he says. “I’m a proud alum who owns a restaurant just two blocks from campus. I want to create a space where people can connect, especially members of the Lehigh community.”
For Trapani, the restaurant business is about more than great food. It’s about the relationships built around it, from family and employees to students, alumni, and community members.
