As Renato Presta took some classes last spring at a Glenview cooking school, the "closing soon" sign on the door bothered him.

Presta took two series of classes at the Viking Cooking School, 1140 N. Milwaukee Ave. He was sad to see it go, but was soon planning to take over the space. Not only would he continue the classes, but he'd also open an Italian-American restaurant.

"It was really just good timing," said Presta, whose whole family has long been involved one way or another in the food industry.

A year after the school closed, Presta and his brother, Dominic Presta, and their cousin, Michael Mazzone, opened the doors of Via Classico Cooking School and Restaurant in the same place where Viking Cooking School used to be. The grand opening was Tuesday.

"It's a great location to offer people a concept that isn't available in this area," Presta said.

Via Classico restaurant, which will serve Italian-American food, is located in the former cooking school's store area, where customers used to purchase kitchen equipment.

The space, which is roughly 1,000 squared feet, isn't ideal. But Presta said customers will be encouraged to order take-out food, so he believes the restaurant will do fine.

"You have to take what you get, and you have to work with it," he said.

The cooking school will use the same curriculum as the Viking Cooking School but has add some twists — such as a mixology class, and one inspired by the TV show Downton Abbey.

Presta, who enjoyed taking cooking classes with Viking, hired five employees from the previous cooking school, which was at the location for about five years before it closed due in part to a lack of enrollment.

"It was heartbreaking," said Kathy O'Sullivan, who used to be an instructor at the school, remembering last year.

But now O'Sullivan, a head chef for the Via Classico Cooking School, has the opportunity to go back to the same place and teach again.

"People now stop by and are excited for it to be back," said O'Sullivan, of Park Ridge. "We're so happy."

Nearby locals and businesses are glad to not only have the cooking school back but also to have a new restaurant.

"It's going to be a bonus having a restaurant near us," said Jennifer Kruse, a sales representative at Exotic Marble and Tile's Glenview store, which is located next door to Via Classico.

Kruse, of Oak Park, said the restaurant will help drive business but also provide a good convenient food option for workers in the area.

Kruse, who has worked as a sales representative with Exotic Marble for about two years, said she has heard some people say that they have missed the cooking school.

"People are going to be happy," Kruse said.

Gene Revzin, president of Avanti Gallery, which is also located in the same plaza as Via Classico, said he also believes that the new business may create more traffic for surrounding stores and diversify the cuisine offerings in the area.

Revzin, of Highland Park, said he enjoys Italian-American food and may try a couple of dishes at the new restaurant.

"Especially for people who are working in the area, it's a nice option," he said.

Visit ViaClassico.com for more information about classes.

By Alexandra Chachkevitch / Chicago Tribune