Our Story

Born and raised in Florence, Italy, Chef Francesco Casetta understood from a young age the power of food to enrich culture and bring together friends and family. While he comes from a family of artists, Chef Francesco branched out and focused on a different art form: culinary arts. He took pieces of his home with him as he focused on his culinary career by using simple and clean ingredients to create quality dishes, just like how the locals cook in Italy. 

To further elevate his rustic Italian culinary background, Chef Francesco attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York City, one of the top culinary schools in the world. Thereafter, he returned to Italy and was accepted to work at Dal Pescatore, a three-star Michelin restaurant. Chef Francesco's career taught him a diverse array of culinary techniques, instilling in him a joy for artistically creating nostalgic and innovative dishes.

In 2008, Chef Francesco's culinary career brought him to Houston, Texas. Casetta Cucina started as a fine-dining catering company that allowed Chef Francesco to showcase his expertise through personalized menus based on the customer's experiences and requests. After several catering customers asked if Chef Francesco's handmade pasta could be bought separately, Casetta Cucina was inspired to expand to a local pasta manufacturer.

Chef Francesco makes pasta with imported Italian flour that does not contain semolina and durum grains, making the pasta lighter and the same quality of what you find in Italy. In addition, Chef Francesco does not put any added sugars or preservatives in pastas and sauces. The pastas and sauces are made with a combination of imported and local ingredients, freshly prepared each week. Casetta Cucina brings Houston authentic Italian favors, founded in the Chef's rich culinary background and heritage. 

Casetta Cucina began their pasta adventure in 2017, selling their artisan pastas and sauces at local farmers markets. In addition to the farmers markets, our products can now be found at Houston-area retail shops and our storefront, which opened up in September 2024. We have made it our mission to bring Houston accessible and easy to prepare quality meals, using rustic techniques to elevate modern cuisine.

Come find our products today and taste the difference!