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Giuseppe Ciuffa
Founder and CEO
Who's the man behind GIUSEPPE Restaurants & Fine Catering?

Upon first meeting him, it's not hard to guess that it's Giuseppe Ciuffa. It is unmistakable once you hear him begin to speak exuberantly of his love for food and family. Born in Ferrara , Italy , the young Ciuffa reveled in the evening meals with his family. “People did not go out then” he explains. “Life was centered around the next meal with family and friends.”

Culinary creativity partnered with professional drive, instilled by spending hours in the family kitchen watching his mother prepare meals, each dish made from the freshest ingredients from his family's farm, Giuseppe set out to share his passion for cuisine and hospitality with others. From a pizzeria at age 14, to watching chefs preparing special events at a summer resort, studies at the Culinary Institute of Rome, to General Manager of the prestigious restaurant café the Antico Café San Marco, Trieste , Italy , Giuseppe used his inspiration to design a dream of sharing an exceptional food experience for all.

Giuseppe's dream had no limits. Coupling determination with motivation, Giuseppe took language classes by day and by night he spent long hours in kitchens watching and learning from the chefs leaning red-faced over hot stoves to create their masterpieces, and from waiters rushing breathlessly to ensure every detail for their guests. All the ideas and elements to his dream began to take form.

With a new language, country and opportunity, Giuseppe took his passion and successfully managed high-profile downtown San Diego restaurants, co-owned a La Jolla based trattoria, La Taverna, and transformed an ambling La Jolla bakery, Come On In! into a thriving chain of bistros. Finally, in 2001, Giuseppe rolled all of his experience into GIUSEPPE Restaurants and Fine Catering and opened his newest restaurant, the Museum Café, located in the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego , La Jolla .

Giuseppe is now solely focused on his passion which has been realized in GIUSEPPE Restaurants & Fine Catering, sharing with clients the delight of memorable flavors and his excitement for cooking the way he once dreamt of in that small kitchen in Italy.

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