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Lasagna Barrie comes with genuine Italian singing

'Lasagna is the quintessential dish when we think of family and Sunday lunch when we reunite after a long work week,' says Francesco Celestino

Happy tears rolled down when Francesco Celestino recently serenaded guests attending a 50th wedding anniversary in Barrie.

As he sang, he brought the guests of honour way back to their childhood in Calabria, Italy.

The inspiring performance was the icing on the cake — or should we say, pasta — for Lasagna Barrie, an online food business rooted in southern Italian cuisine.

After immigrating from Italy and working as a chef at a private school for seven years before COVID hit, Celestino briefly worked delivering for Uber Eats, but soon realized something was missing.

“Just leaving the food at the door and walking away didn't seem right,” recalls Celestino, who says he was always discontented with the lack of connection between himself and the customer.

With the world turning to delivery only, Celestino and his wife Amanda — who will open a restaurant in Barrie in October — rented a commercial kitchen in Toronto, where they would prepare the food, flash freeze the trays, and store them before delivering.

The idea of singing when delivering was a suggestion from a friend and colleague of Amanda's at Georgian College. She was filming Francesco placing her first order and asked him to sing. The video was posted, people loved the idea, and the singing became part of the show.

“It was a great way to put a smile on someone's face in the midst of COVID when contact was limited and people were restricted to their home," he says. 

Lasagna was Francesco's first idea when thinking of starting their ghost kitchen.

“Lasagna is the quintessential dish when we think of family and Sunday lunch when we reunite after a long work week," he adds. 

As the business grew, Lasagna Barrie has added more products, such as manicotti, chicken parmigiana, meatballs, and others.

“Everything is handmade and traditional from Francesco's hometown and no corners are cut," Amanda says. 

Born in Camigliatello Silano, in the south of Italy, Francesco relies on simple recipes with outstanding ingredients, such as high-quality San Marzano tomatoes, only real cheeses and Parmigiano, and fresh herbs and all beef for the Bolognese sauce.

Francesco's clientele is mostly from Barrie, but he has delivered to and earned regular customers in Innisfil, Oro-Medonte, Midhurst, and Alliston.

“Even those who have never been to Italy will recognize the quality and authenticity of our handmade products when they try them,” says Amanda.

Customers can order the singing option by checking the box that says 'anything special' at the online checkout.

“We have been busy with caterings and private chef services lately, and customers usually love a bit of serenading at these events to make the meal more memorable,” Francesco says.

His products are also sold at local partners, including Beaver Rock in Barrie and Jamie's Main and Local in Stayner, as well as ordered through the Simcoe Harvest catalogue for weekly deliveries.

Amanda, who is originally from Barrie, is eager to start the upcoming brick-and-mortar location.

“We were limited in what we could offer since it had to be frozen to ensure freshness," she says. "But now that we are moving to our very own kitchen, many more dishes will be offered.”

Lasagna Barrie will operate at the former Licious Italian Bakery Cafe location at 490 Mapleview Dr. W.

Francesco and Amanda will keep the existing business name for the time being and expand its menu to include family meal specials along with ready-to-heat frozen items.

“We also will provide espresso, of course, and mixed espresso drinks both hot and cold, with Italian sodas added to the current menu,” she says.

And Francesco hopes to keep delighting customers with his singing.

“If requested, of course! I love sharing my voice to whoever appreciates it, and if a quick serenade will make the customer's experience special and complete, then that is what we strive to do.”