Created by Northern Italian born Fabrizio Cercatore, Passione Brands combines deeply rooted Italian culinary traditions with California logic and fresh local organic ingredients. True to authentic Italian culture, Passione invites a modern audience to celebrate food as more than nourishment but as life itself. Art is the creative expression of life and Passione is where flour becomes art.
The products we create are meticulous and innovative. Based in Berkeley, California, Passione Brands features a range of high quality Pizza Dough, Flour, Pasta and Gelato for individual home chefs, retailers and restaurants.
Our products can be tasted at our Emporios in Berkeley and in the San Francisco Bay on Adriana Yacht, can be purchased at various stores, and online on Amazon.
Fabrizio Cercatore is a master at his craft, dedicated to providing an exceptional Italian experience. A Maestro Pizzaiolo, Fabrizio was born by Lago Maggiore and grew up in La Spezia (Cinque Terre, Italy), a picturesque village on the Ligurian Coast in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. From a young age, Fabrizio knew he wanted to pursue a career as a Maestro Pizzaiolo. He attended IPAS, the prominent Italian professional culinary school; and, at a regional pizza competition, was one of only five chefs to earn the highest mark of 1,000 points. He opened La Tavernetta on the Italian Riviera and Pizzeria Discovolo in Manarola (Cinque Terre) which quickly rose in popularity with locals and tourists. Fabrizio moved to California in 2008 to pursue his Italian-American dream and share his passion for Italian cuisine. In 2009, he founded HOT ITALIAN, where he was the Maestro Pizzaiolo. In 2012, he introduced his artisan flour mix, and later that same year he officially launched Passione Brands—his most personal project to date—with the spirit of combining the highest quality of United States grown artisan flours and grains, locally sourced products, and the culinary customs of Italy.