Get ready fans, the third episode of Chef’n It, Behind the Apron Media’s monthly cooking series, premiered today. This month the show featured John Wilson, co-owner and executive chef of Bella Colibri in Golden, and his Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
Getting To Know Bella Colibri and Its Talented Chef
A driving force in the city’s evolving food scene and a 2025 Colorado Restaurant Association HOSPY Finalist for Chef of the Year, Wilson plays a key role in shaping the local dining identity. Through his leadership at Bella Colibri, Old Capitol Grill & Smokehouse, Miners Saloon, The Brick Room and Alchemy, he blends mentorship, creativity, and culinary craft to elevate each concept.
As for the restaurant, it’s located just steps off Washington Avenue in Golden. Once inside, Bella Colibri invites guests to slow down and savor soulful, Italian-inspired cuisine rooted in tradition and founder Dean Valdez’s Calabrian heritage. The six-year-old restaurant blends rustic elegance with mountain-town charm, honoring bold, honest flavors while embracing Colorado spirit.
Housed in the former Legislative Library of the Colorado Territory, built in 1865, Bella Colibri pairs handmade pastas, creative cocktails and Old-World wines with the warmth of small-town hospitality, delivering refined Italian dining in the heart of downtown Golden.
“We take something classic and keep it true, but add our own touch because we’re not in Italy, we’re in Golden, Colorado,” said Wilson, a Colorado Springs native.
John Wilson’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana
For Chef’n It, Wilson recreated Bella Colibri’s beloved Bucatini all’Amatriciana, adapting the restaurant dish for home cooks by making tagliatelle from homemade egg dough.
“Most home cooks don’t have a pasta extruder, so we’re rolling and cutting egg dough into tagliatelle,” explained the Culinary Institute of America alum.
While the pasta changes for accessibility, the heart of the dish remains. Wilson built a rich all’Amatriciana using pancetta, guanciale, and spicy Italian sausage, going beyond the traditional Roman sauce base by incorporating three classic pork cuts for extra depth, simmered with onion, white wine, San Marzano tomatoes, and Calabrian chili flakes.
“It sounds simple, but that means the execution has to be perfect,” Wilson said while filming the Colorado cooking show. “Layering flavor is everything.”
Wilson emphasized flexibility and creativity as important pillars of his home cooking philosophy. Want more chili? Add it. Prefer herbs? Toss them in. He even joked about butter being considered “sacrilege” to some, but delicious nonetheless.
“If that’s what you like, put it in there. That’s the beauty of making your own sauce,” said Wilson in the show as he added a generous dollop of butter for a silky texture.
Vegetarian? No problem. “I’ve made versions for my wife using jackfruit and other alternatives. Same flavor profile and same comfort.”
Find the full recipe at ChefnIt.com, or visit Bella Colibri when you would rather skip washing the dishes.
A Vision Beyond the Kitchen
This hearty recipe serves six, fitting for Wilson, used to cooking for his family of five. Outside the restaurant, he shares his home with 10 dogs, two cats, and a dream of building a regenerative farm someday. Although usually reserved, Wilson lit up during filming when talking about his family and future homestead.
He envisions goats, pigs, chickens, cows, orchards, leafy greens, root vegetables, berry patches and even aquaponics with trout and tilapia.
“I want to grow anything and everything,” Wilson shared while cutting egg pasta dough into quarter-inch tagliatelle alongside Chef’n It host Tarah Runco.
Watch episode three of Chef’n It on YouTube, where Wilson shares his vision for future farm life, breaks down his flavor layering technique and simplicity driven approach to Italian cooking, all while preparing an at-home version of his all’Amatriciana.
Watch Episode Three of Chef’n It
Hosted by Behind the Apron Media founder Tarah Runco, Chef’n It is a monthly YouTube series that goes beyond the plate to share the heart, technique, and story behind Colorado’s top culinary talent. Each episode offers an approachable, reimagined version of a signature dish made to inspire the home cook.
Watch episode three now at Chef’n It or on Behind the Apron Media’s YouTube channel.
