09/04/2026
For the past 30 years, if you walked through the doors of Gianni’s, or Lupo chances are you tasted something Juan helped create. He wasn’t just our chef; he was a foundation this business was built on. He opened every one of our locations and poured his heart into every single one. I’m 42, Juan was 47, and we grew up side by side in this business. I saw him nearly every day for decades. He taught me how to drive. I stood with him when he got his green card. We marked milestones together, side by side, day in, day out. He helped feed generations of families in our community. Families who watched him grow as he watched their kids grow. There’s no replacing Juan, and we wouldn’t even try. What we can do is carry his standard forward: Every pizza, every plate, every guest we welcome, carries a piece of what he built here. His chapter ended too soon, but his legacy is permanently woven into ours. Thank you, Juan, for your friendship, your loyalty, your hard work, and for giving so much of your life to ours. We love you. We miss you. We promise to make you proud.
