Our Story

Cigar City Ravioli & Pasta Co. is the culmination of a forty-year culinary journey that began in Milan and achieved acclaim in the heart of New York City.

Our founder, Luca Marcato, is an executive chef who began his career with classical training at Milan's prestigious Carlo Porta Cooking School. In 1987, he was recruited to New York City to be part of the team at the legendary Quaglino's, followed by a tenure at Malvasia restaurant. After a brief return to Milan's renowned St. Andrews, he came back to the States in the early 90s as Chef de Cuisine at the Hamptons' famed Sapore di Mare, working under iconic restaurateur Pino Luongo. Throughout the 90s, Luca was instrumental in shaping the NYC Italian food scene, joining Philippe Bernard to open the wildly successful Osteria al Doge and its sister restaurant, Osteria Laguna.

In 1998, Luca opened his own celebrated restaurant, LUCA, on the Upper East Side. For two decades, it was a culinary destination. His sophisticated Milanese cuisine earned a loyal following, stellar New York Times reviews, a feature in the Michelin guide, and the distinct honor of hosting a luncheon at the renowned James Beard House. The brand evolved with the opening of two Cavatappo Wine Bar locations, the rebranding of LUCA into Cavatappo Grill, and the launch of Luca's Jazz Corner from 2016 to 2018.

After relocating to Tampa in 2019, Luca took the helm as Executive Chef at Pane Rustica, one of the city's most beloved institutions, leading the team through the challenges of the COVID pandemic. This period prompted a shift in focus, leading Luca towards a more hands-on, artisanal expression of his craft. This new direction led him to explore an innovative concept, Diesel Pizza, a brick-oven lab where he handcrafted every element. When that venture concluded in 2022, he was immediately recruited back to his prominent role as Executive Chef at Pane Rustica, where he leads the kitchen today.

While continuing in his role at one of Tampa's premier restaurants, Luca founded Cigar City Ravioli & Pasta Co. to focus on the pure art of pasta. It is not a startup; it is the distillation of a lifetime of experience, designed to provide fellow culinary professionals with a product born of classical training and honed in the world's most demanding culinary markets.