There’s a face, a story, and a dream behind every small business and start-up company. We’d like to introduce some of the Fabulous Food Show's fascinating culinary entrepreneurs:
In 1991, when David Serban was almost 11, he left Romania with his younger brother Daniel and parents Ana and Constantin. The family settled in Akron, where relatives were already living. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
This was a family business, started in 1949, until Todd Valendza and his wife Lisa bought it four years ago. He was a self-described “corporate guy” with expertise on the accounting and operations side. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
George Salo Sr., a Ukranian immigrant, was a meat man all his working life. When he married Marie in 1985, she helped him run State Meats, an old fashioned butcher shop in Parma that he’d opened in 1974. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
20 years ago, when she was a stay-at-home mother of three young children, Margy Kaye started making toffee to give as gifts. The family, friends, and lucky school teachers who received the homemaker’s handmade candy always loved it. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
Michael Piazza’s grandfather emigrated to American from Sicily. He started out selling fruits and vegetables on Woodland Avenue from a horse drawn wagon and grew it into one of the city’s largest food distribution company’s. His sons took over the business. These three entrepreneurs are Michael’s role models and they inspired him to start his own business. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
Getting down-sized and losing their jobs turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to Deby Cowdin and her husband Scott. Forced to come up with a new game plan for earning a living, they decided to build on Deby’s training as a glass artist and be part of the growing trend towards green business. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
John Petrocelly is 62. He used to be a plant manager for a tool and die operation. Then he retired and now he runs a gourmet oil and vinegar emporium. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
Ellen Pignatiello is a self-confessed chocolate lover. And she’s found herself the perfect career.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
Catherine Pastron is a candy maker and self-taught chocolatier. It started as a hobby but when she lost her job four years ago, she decided to turn her 20 year love affair with cocoa and sugar into a business. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
When most people her age are starting to think about retirement, 61 year old Jean Mackenzie embarked upon a second career as a goat cheese maker. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel
Souheil El-Richani was born in Lebanon, one of eight children. His oldest brother owned a bakery there that specialized in French style pastry. He moved to Cleveland in 1990, along with the rest of the family, and started a wholesale baking business. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY - by Laura Taxel