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Help Us Expand Italiano Please!
Help Expand Authentic Roman Cuisine and Inclusive Employment in Calgary! Support more Italiano Please!
Our Story
Welcome to Italiano Please!, where authentic Roman food meets inclusivity and heart. Our family-owned and operated social enterprise is more than just a place to eat; it's a community where delicious cuisine is crafted with love by an incredible team of talented individuals, many of whom need some extra support or accommodations.
We know that food tastes better when it is made with love and the expertise of a group where everyone brings their unique abilities to the kitchen and when it is served in a setting so inclusive that it is not noticeable.
Almost exactly four years ago, we arrived in Calgary with a dream: to share the authentic flavours of undiluted Roman cuisine like Pasta alla Gricia, Pollo con i Peperoni and Tiramisù - all made by Lucio who grew up down the street from the Colosseum (look up Via Ruggero Bonghi on Google Maps!) and who has worked in the food service industry for over 40 years. He is passionate about meals prepared with care, and works with the team to create an inclusive workspace for people who often are given less consideration.
From the very beginning, Italiano Please! has been about more than just food—it's about community, opportunity, and heart. Through our lived experience we know that working with individuals often thought of as "different" is an opportunity. We worked in this field in Italy for years because we know how important this type of work experience is for people to be recognized for their contribution to a workplace and to not only be defined by innate traits providing them little space in society's mainstream.
Despite starting our journey during the challenges of the pandemic, we laid the foundations for what Italiano Please! is today: two small locations with a growing following of Roman food lovers and increasing recognition for our commitment to inclusive employment. As a small business that launched in difficult times, securing traditional financing has been a challenge but we know we have something special to offer our clients and community since we find ourselves facing more demand for our food and programming than we can keep up with! Now, we need your help to take the next step and open an amazing new location.
We found the space in an awesome downtown highrise, we have the keys and we need support to expand into our new location where we will be able to service the increased demand for catering and wholesale clients that exceeds our current capacity while continuing to make meals for clients, both new and our “regulars” with whom we have bonded over the years.
Why We Need Your Support
Our objective is to expand Italiano Please! into our new location, allowing us to:
- Serve more loyal customers and fans our beloved Roman dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Service the increasing demand for catering and wholesale that has been blocked due to our tiny work spaces that also don't have room for additional staff members
- Hire and train more diverse individuals, augmenting our mission to create an even more inclusive work environment
- Create a space so inclusive that it is not noticeable by remodelling the kitchen and service spaces for a better experience in terms of accessibility for all
Any support you can send our way will help us achieve these goals and more so that we can share our passion for Rome and its culinary traditions while continuing to support people in our communities of focus.
How Your Contributions Will Be Used
Every contribution, big or small, will make a difference. Here's how your support will help to refurbish our new space:
$5,000 – Purchase new kitchen equipment, storage units and tables & chairs for guest seating.
$5,000 – Have new equipment installed and existing equipment repaired and inspected.
$5,000 – Prepare the supports in this workplace and front of house to create a welcoming space for all by doing accommodating renovations, signage and translating the menu into braille and ASL.
Join Us on This Journey
We are grateful for our community's support and can't wait to welcome you to our new location.
Every contribution helps us bring more authentic Roman cuisine to your table while promoting inclusivity in the culinary world.
We invite you to join us on our journey to foster an environment where individuals of all abilities thrive together, creating a space where every person feels welcomed, valued and inspired
Thank you for believing in our missions!
Do you want to know more about our journey over the years? Click here to learn about our life in Rome, how the pandemic destroyed our catering and events business that provided a protected work environment for young people with disabilities, how we found ourselves on one of the first commercial flights to Calgary during the pandemic and what have been our milestones achieved in Calgary since 2021.
Follow Our Progress
Stay updated on our journey through our social media channels and email newsletters. Together, let's make this dream a reality!
At Italiano Please!, we bring the timeless flavours of authentic Roman cuisine to life while celebrating the richness of human potential.
Our mission is to provide an inclusive culinary experience rooted in tradition, crafted with passion and served with heart.
Grazie mille!
The Italiano Please! team
Organizer
