Italy’s most famous winemaker, Marchese Piero Antinori says:

“Creative and passionate, Pèpe is a modern day Ambasciatore of Italian Food & Wine, and through his restaurants, travels and cooking classes teaches people about the Italian lifestyle, its culinary heritage and shares his passione for all things Italian”.

WELCOME TO PÈPE INTERNATIONAL

“Noi siamo Italiani.” (We are Italians). Like any ethnic family, we are very proud of our heritage.

All of my grandparents emigrated from Napoli in Southern Italy and came through Ellis Island just before World War 1.  With them they brought their love and respect for Italy, its culture, cuisine and its warm, lively traditions.

Growing up in Hoboken, New Jersey, some of my earliest memories is of our annual family gathering to make the homemade wine.  Both sides of my large Italian family would get together – the men in charge of the winemaking and the women in charge of making jam and jelly from the fresh grapes brought in from California.  During the day lots of last years’ wine would be tasted, Italian songs would be sung, jokes would be told and laughter filled the air.  I could only imagine that this is what life was like in Italy and was proud that my family brought a little bit of the “old country” with them to America.

A few times every year I travel back to Italy to see my cousins and friends there and return with new recipes, ideas and inspirations.

Today, as a restaurateur in Carmel, California, it is my passion and dream to pass along and share the Pèpe family lifestyle and traditions through my restaurant, wine, travel and hospitality ventures.

alla salute (to your health),

Rich Pèpe