Our Story
Sicily Kitchen
'The Kitchen'
Sicily Kitchen is a one-stop shop for 100% authentic and locally sourced Sicilian food products. The Kitchen was founded by Tommy Profaci, a fourth-generation member of a Sicilian-American family who have over 100 years of experience importing top quality Italian foods to the United States (since 1921!). Our team has researched, taste-tested, and inspected every product in our online store so that our customers can focus on perfecting delicious Sicilian recipes here in the United States. Welcome to Sicilia!
Thomas Profaci
‘Tommy’
Thomas Profaci, Tommy, is the fourth generation of a Sicilian-American family from the New York/New Jersey area. Tommy grew up working every summer in an Italian food warehouse packaging olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pasta. After attending Boston College and working in the financial services industry for three years, he decided to follow his familial roots to the Italian food business. To celebrate his family's Sicilian heritage, Tommy founded Sicily Kitchen to introduce the highest quality Sicilian products to U.S. consumers.
John Profaci Sr.
‘John Sr.’
John Profaci Sr., Tommy’s grandfather, is a prominent and highly regarded pioneer of authentic extra virgin olive oil ("EVOO") in the United States. In fact, many experts credit John with establishing the EVOO category in the U.S. thanks to his founding of the Colavita Pasta and Olive Oil company in 1978. John and Connie Profaci have four sons who all hold careers in the Italian food industry to this day (including Tommy’s father, John Jr.). John Sr. is widely known and respected by restauranteurs, grocers, and Italian-American chefs across the country for his accomplishments and long-standing career in the food industry.
Giuseppe Profaci
‘Papa Joe’
Giuseppe Profaci, Tommy’s great-grandfather, immigrated to the United States from Villabate, Sicily (right outside of Palermo) in 1921. He quickly adapted to life in New York, and began importing olive oil through his company “Mamma Mia,” as seen in the picture stacked on a traditional Sicilian cart. In fact, to this day Papa Joe is widely known as the Olive Oil King for being among the first olive oil importers in the United States. Joe and his wife Ninfa had 6 children, including John Profaci Sr. who is an acclaimed pioneer in the U.S. Italian food industry.