JOSE SANCHEZ

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the untimely passing of Bambino’s Co-Founder José Sanchez. On July 30th, 2025, he passed peacefully surrounded by his loving wife of thirty-two years, Martina Sanchez, and their three beloved children – José Sebastian, Cassandra and Luis.

José and Martina married in 1993 and unknowingly created a union between him and his brother-in-law that would lead to the beginning of his legacy, Bambino’s.

After spending many years working hard in the hospitality scene in San Francisco, José was ready for the next step in his career. José was always a “behind-the-scenes” man, and you could often find him in the kitchen fine-tuning his craft, working every day to be the best chef he could possibly be. His love for food could be felt with each bite you took, and it was clear that this passion would blossom into something more.

In October 2006, José and his partner started throwing around ideas of creating their own restaurant, a place where they could put all their experience together in an establishment where they would be proud. After an incredible amount of planning, they opened Bambino’s in Concord, California, on March 7, 2007. Over the course of thirteen years, José created a family, The Bam’s Fam. A place where you knew the food would be not only breathtaking but would also be comforting, and a place where you, the customer, would feel like you’re home. In 2019, José wanted to expand this feeling and the community they built to another location in Vallejo, California. On February 5, 2020, the doors opened to Bambino’s in Vallejo. He fought tooth and nail to stay open during a crazy time in history. Without José and all the love he put into our food, we are unsure if our doors in Vallejo would have stayed open.

On this day, there are two successful Bambino’s locations, two huge and supportive communities, and two tight-knit Bam’s Fam crews. José co-founded a legacy, a place where everyone feels welcome and no one wants to leave.

Without José, the Bambino’s you know and love wouldn’t exist. We appreciate all the hard work, energy, and passion that he put into our restaurant. Things will be different with him gone, but with every meal we serve, we will remember him and all that he did for us.