By TM Petaccia

Chefs Raffaelle Patrizi and Kyle Gaddas of Mano Bella at the UPPY Awards. Photo by Daniel Coston

Kyle Gaddas, formerly the executive chef of The Menagerie Group — including The Wine Loft and The Vintage Whiskey and Cigar Lounge, both in South End, and Figo36 in NoDa — has accepted the position of “chef di cucina” at Mano Bella Artisan Foods. He will be working with chef/co-owner Raffaele Patrizi in creating pasta and Italian specialty dishes for sale at Mano Bella’s Market at 7th Street store/pasta bar and at local farmers markets, as well as be part of the company’s anticipated pop-up dinners and supper clubs.

“I met Raffaele and Madison Patrizi not long after they started Mano Bella Artisan Foods [while] looking to incorporate more artisanal, hand-crafted foods in my restaurants,” Gaddas says. “From our very first meeting, we all shared the same desire to work together in a stronger capacity.”

“After successfully opening Figo36, it became apparent my vision, which places a greater value on local food systems, and the vision of the ownership was incongruent,” Gaddas says. “I feel very proud to have contributed what I did to the menu at Figo36, but the time came to move to a much larger focus.”

Mano Bella Artisan Foods crafts a wide range of organic semolina, whole wheat, and gluten-free pastas in a variety of shapes as well as a varying selection of ravioli and gnocchi, housemade mozzarella, soups, take-and-bake lasagnas, biscotti, and other Italian specialities. A number of new offerings have been added since Gaddas arrived, including a number of soups, side dishes, and gelato; he is collaborating with Patrizi on the monthly Italian regional specials at the pasta bar as well. There is also a special Thanksgiving menu available for preorder on its website.

“Mano Bella Artisan Foods has seen a tremendous amount of growth in the last two years, thanks to the support of the farmers market communities and all our wonderful customers,” says Mano Bella co-owner and pastry chef Madison Patrizi. “We had always talked lightly with chef Kyle about joining our team and our vision. We were incredibly grateful when the opportunity arose for us to finally join forces.”

Their dishes focus on local, seasonal sourcing from a number of area farms such as Coldwater Creek Farms (which also supplies the whole wheat flour for its whole wheat pastas), Garden Window Farm, Brewington Farms, Seven Sisters Farm, Urban Gourmet Farms, and others.

“Chef Kyle’s approach in the kitchen is more modern and explorative and compliments the well-grounded, authentic Italian flavors that so many have come to know and love,” Raffaele Patrizi says. “With his wealth of experience and knowledge, we are incredibly humbled and excited for what the future holds for Mano Bella Artisan Foods.”

“My first month at Mano Bella has proven to me that this was the right choice, and I couldn’t be more excited about the projects we are currently working on,” Gaddas says.