The best Italian chefs will tell you, you don't mess with a classic. That's something Damian's new general manager, Johnny Mandola, has been taught his entire life.

"These guys have seen me grow-up."

Johnny is the son of legendary Houston restaurateur Frankie Mandola. He's grown-up in the business his entire life. And now he's charged with managing one of his family's most historic properties: Damian's.

"Our chef, Napoleon, has been here for 29 years and a lot of the line cooks have been here for 15-20 years."

The restaurant is celebrating its thirtieth year in the old flower shop on Smith Street, and chew on this: waiter Ben Garcia has been here for all of them.

"I started as a bus boy for a few years, about four or five years, then Damian gave me an opportunity, he said, 'Benjamin you want to be a waiter?' and I said, 'yeah, why not.'"

For Johnny, growing-up to work beside the staff he's known his entire life is a responsibility like no other.

"They saw me grow up, through high school, through college and talk about sports and anything that was going on in my life, and girls and just everything."

So in honor of Damian's thirtieth anniversary, Johnny Mandola is paying homage to the staff who's worked for his family so long, creating a menu for the restaurant's guests that's all theirs.

"I went around and asked the servers, 'What was your favorite entree item that's not on our menu now?' And they gave me a list and I made up a menu."

The neighborhood surrounding this Houston landmark has changed a lot over the last thirty years. But the restaurant that began it all has not. Because after all, you don't mess with a classic.