🔒Puka envisions W. Hftd. as ‘world food capital’

West Hartford restaurateur Dorjan Puka — the inspiration behind Treva, Avert Brasserie, and the planned opening of Zohara later this year, plus Artisanal Burger Co. in Manchester — is a testament to hard work paying off.

Puka came to the United States from his native Albania in 1998 after winning the green card lottery.

In Albania, he grew up under restrictive communist rule, then discovered his passion for cooking when volunteering to help a cousin who cooked in a prestigious Italian restaurant that opened after communism's fall. He was accepted to law school at the same time, but after a month, followed his heart into the kitchen.

He embarked on a difficult journey, learning to cook by watching and experimenting in Albania and other kitchens in Europe, sometimes for little to no compensation other than meals and experience. Eventually, he ascended to a head chef's job in Albania that paid a then-whopping $500 a month.

Puka came to the U.S. speaking no English. “Because I know how to cook, I was not afraid,” said Puka, 41.

His wife, Mira, whom he married before immigrating to the U.S., spoke English and helped the transition.

International culinary career

He landed a line cook job at Vito's By the Park in Hartford then added a second job as line cook at Max Amore in Glastonbury before transferring to Max's Oyster Bar in West Hartford as sous chef, always working lunch at Vito's and dinner at a Max.

To expand his cooking repertoire, he took jobs in 2006 at well-known restaurants in Las Vegas, Napa Valley, Calif., and San Francisco, followed by restaurant stints in France, Germany and Italy.

With a dream to open his own place, he returned to Connecticut in 2007, commuting to an executive chef job at Max's Tavern in Springfield.

His vision materialized when he opened Treva, an Italian concept, in West Hartford Center in 2010. “I'm living the American dream,” Puka said.

Today, his DORO Restaurant Group, for which he is CEO and majority owner, generates $9 million in annual revenue. DORO's chief operating officer, Scott Miller, has a minority stake.

Running on espresso

To help fuel his many tasks, including planning Zohara in the former Plimpton's store space near Treva, Puka sips five espressos a day. Zohara, set to open before Christmas, will feature Mediterranean fare with Israeli, Lebanese, Greek and Turkish influences. Concoctions will emerge from a central, open kitchen.

“We want our guests to be interacting with chefs and see what we do and how we do it,” he said. It will be the latest addition to a community he and Mira love and help. He serves as chef for a Westmoor Park fundraiser, Feast on the Farm, each year and contributes to Growing Great Schools.

Puka wants to help elevate the town's already lofty cuisine scene and believes West Hartford can become a world food capital.

“It's a very European town and I really love West Hartford and I feel like I have to do something for this community and make it even better,” he said, viewing restaurants as a town draw. Puka, who loves projects, won't stop at Zohara, eyeing more eateries in West Hartford or nearby.

He said his management style is to lead by example, citing an Albanian saying that “the fish start smelling from the head” when it rots. Puka demonstrates the top service and quality he expects and hires people for their willingness to learn, not their resumes.

Wife a valuable asset

He said Mira doesn't get enough credit for her contribution to the business. She acts as finance director and is invaluable behind the scenes, Puka said.

Their sons, Denny, 16, and Drini, 13, know their food, too, and their parents would welcome their taking over some day.

For now, the couple has plenty to keep them busy fulfilling Puka's plans.

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