Contact:

Lexi Palley
Public Relations
Lexi.palley@gmail.com
703-300-0027

Gervasio Amato
Owner
jalapenosouthwestgrill@gmail.com
540-383-8228

Italian Immigrant to Successful Restaurant Owner

HARRISONBURG 28 MARCH 2015 It was the 14th hour Gervasio Amato had
been standing on his feet washing dishes as the humid Florida air clung to his skin.
Turning out to be a six-time successful Italian restaurant owner was not how Amato
pictured his life turning out when emigrated from Sicily, Italy to Florida where he
endured some hardships before accomplishing his dream.
Amato lived in Sicily with his mother and father during his childhood years.
He helped his father with his produce business, went to school, and lived a normal
life. Sicily in the 80s was full of crime and corruption and did not provide
opportunities for a good future. When Amato turned 16, he decided it was time to
take the next step in his life and move to America.


(more)

Jalapeo Southwestern Grill 2

News Feature: Gervasio Amato

Amato moved to Florida to live with his brother who was 16 years older than

him and had immigrated to the U.S. a few years prior. At the time, his brother owned
an Italian restaurant where Amato got his first real job experience.
The first six or seven months in America was pretty fun. I lived in Florida,
which is beautiful, and it was exciting starting a new life in a new country. But then
after the initial excitement was over, I became very homesick. I had no friends, could
not speak English, and was working 14-hour work days six days a week. I basically
lost my youth, explained Amato.
After washing dishes in the restaurant that his brother owned, he knew one
day he wanted to have a restaurant of his own. For the next few years, Amato spent
all of his time in the kitchen learning how to make Italian food, reading Italian
cookbooks, learning English and observing how owners successfully managed a
restaurant.
In 1989, his brother decided to sell the restaurant due to the inconsistency of
customers during the winter. He was looking for a location that would provide a
regular customer base during the year. The brothers packed up and decided to move
to Harrisonburg, Virginia. They liked that there was a college campus in town and
not many Italian restaurants in the area. The same year they left Florida and moved
to Virginia, the Amato brothers opened their first restaurant together, LItalia.
LItalia is still in business 30 years after the Amato brothers opened it, LItalia is a
fine-dining Italian restaurant. It is one of the oldest restaurants in town, and most
locals have been. I sold it three months ago, but I am very proud to have owned it all
these years.

(more)

Jalapeo Southwestern Grill 3

News Feature: Gervasio Amato

A few months after the brothers opened LItalia, they decided to open a bar

by the name of Valentino. The bar offered live music every Thursday night. Boyd
Tinsley from the Dave Matthews Band frequently played at the bar and even
brought the rest of the band to perform a number of times.
Amato focused on managing the bar while his brother managed LItalia:
Managing Valentino for three years was probably the best years of my life. I was 23
years old managing a bar in a college town and driving a DeLorean; life couldnt get
much better.
In 2001, Amato opened two new
restaurants on his own. He opened LItalia
Pizza and Pasta, a more casual version of the
original LItalia. Then he opened Doa Rosa
and then a second LItalia Pizza and Pasta near
Eastern Mennonite University. The first LItalia
Pizza and Pasta was in the location where

Owner of Jalapeo, Gervasio Amato stands

in front of the bar area of the restaurant.
This is his sixth restaurant since moving
from Italy to the U.S. when he was 16.

Amatos current restaurant, Jalapeo, is located now. Amato sold the first LItalia
restaurant and it became Vitos Italian Kitchen. The second LItalia Pizza and Pasta
was sold as well, but there are still currently three LItalia Pizza and Pasta stores still
open. About a year after Amato opened Doa Rosa, he sold it as well. Only last year
the restaurant closed. Doa Rosa was the only restaurant that Amato started that
was shut down.
(more)

Jalapeo Southwestern Grill 4

News Feature: Gervasio Amato

In 2007, Amato and his wife Veronica decided they wanted to have children.

They had two little girls, Alexa, and Annika. Because Amato wanted to start a family,
he didnt open a new restaurant after he sold the two LItalia stores and Doa Rosa.
Once the children started school, Amato decided it was time to open a restaurant
with a new concept. After brainstorming what kind of restaurant they wanted to
open, the couple decided on the southwestern grill, Jalapeo.
Opening Jalapeo was a gamble, said Amato. I dont have much experience
with southwestern food because I have only had Italian restaurants in the past. But I
wanted to challenge myself to try something new, and so far it has worked out
great.
Jalapeo is now offering catering for business events, birthdays, office
lunches, parties, etc. In July, Amato is opening another Jalapeo in Bridgewater. He
expects to keep opening restaurants in the future, Owning a restaurant is by no
means an easy job, there is always something that needs your attention, but in the
end it is what I love to do.
Gervasio Amato took the risk of immigrating to America when he was 16
years old. He didnt picture himself becoming a successful restaurant owner when
he was working 14-hour days washing dishes and knew zero English. His
dedication should be an inspiration to all of us. This story is the ultimate story of a
young man working hard to accomplish his dream.

-###-

Jalapeo Southwestern Grill 5

News Feature: Gervasio Amato

About Jalapeo Southwestern Grill

Jalapeo is a southwestern grill that offers a mix of fresh foods including burgers,
salads, traditional southwestern foods, and even make-your-own options. Jalapeo also
offers a variety of alcoholic drinks including beer and wine. The Jalapeo Margarita is
the featured drink that includes Tanteo tequila infused with Jalapeo. Other margarita
flavors offered are berry, peach, strawberry, and watermelon. The restaurant is open from
Sunday- Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. or Saturday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.