Despite being born into an already successful family business, Ignazio and Maggio clearly do not take for granted their current positions within the company, and willfully acknowledge the hard work and dedication it takes to run the business as they do. Having practically grown up within the family restaurants, the brothers have an innate understanding of how a restaurant must flow and feel in order to satisfy guests of discerning tastes, and their father, Giuseppe, respects their opinions and decisions. “Our father gives us a lot of freedom on our decision making,” Ignazio explained. “And he is always available to discuss and confront ideas with us.”
Born in Italy, but primarily raised in the Unites States, the brothers spent time working first at Harry’s Bar in Venice, then Hong Kong and London during their early teenage years whenever they had spare time from school. Ignazio recalled the time spent in the different locations, describing his working on the floor and getting to know the ins-and-outs of managing a high-traffic restaurant, but it was younger Maggio who, perhaps, got an even more hands-on experience. Too young to work the floor with Ignazio, Maggio was at the beginning designated to work as a help in the kitchen, saying of the experience, “I was always too short to work the floor, either as a busboy, waiter, or manager, so I could only stay in the kitchen or in the Cipriani pasta factory. It was very exciting, actually. It taught me a lot about the business and also how to communicate and relate to people in a work environment.”
Both Ignazio and Maggio have accomplished tremendous success at such a young age, and their expanding empire shows no signs of slowing down. We can’t wait to see what their next project will be, being it Cipriani, Mr. C or their I SPIRIT 100% Italian new vodka launch.