Pasta Amore History

The owner and head chef of Pasta Amore, Lillo "Leo" Fascianella, was born in San Cataldo, Sicily in 1956. Leo's parents moved the family to America in 1972 in search of a better life. They settled in Omaha, Nebraska to join relatives who had previously immigrated to a part of town known as “Little Italy.”

Leo started out shining shoes and eventually got a job washing dishes at what was then a popular fine-dining establishment called “The Golden Apple.” The owner and chef took Leo under his wing and nurtured his passion for cooking along with his desire for a successful life. Over time Leo met established chefs from all over the world and worked in restaurants in New York and Chicago. Eventually he returned to Omaha and opened Pasta Amore in 1986.