On their very first date in New York City, Jonathan and George discussed their aligned interest in wanting to open a restaurant. Nearly six years later, NANAS would open in Redondo Beach, California.

In the beginning of 2020, Jonathan and George had been engaged for over a year and were deep into planning their wedding. Jonathan, an attendee of the (now) Institute of Culinary Education, had always enjoyed creating new dishes for George to try. For years they had dreamed of opening their own place, but both were caught tied in corporate jobs that paid the bills.

That was until March of 2020, when Jonathan was furloughed from his sales job due to Covid-19. Spending hours on the phone trying to be connected to anyone in the California Unemployment Department, he began shifting his attention more and more to his food blog. As his audience continued to grow, Jonathan and George shifted their time from their newly postponed wedding, to instead writing a business plan.

Knowing that people would be stuck at home for the foreseeable future, they were able to secure a short-term lease at a commercial kitchen in Redondo Beach, where they could offer Jonathan's dishes for takeout and delivery. Given the menu and flavorful intertwine of their Mexican and Italian upbringings, it was an easy decision to call the restaurant NANAS.

NANAS would celebrate not only their families and backgrounds, but also toast to the idea of bringing different people together, who share one love, under one roof.