New Jersey's ESO pasta is bringing the taste of Italy to your home

ByMiguel Amaya Localish logo
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Black Chef specializes in handmade pasta and sauces in New Jersey
The pasta shop, which opened in July 2020, is located in Morristown, New Jersey, sells a variety of handmade products, sold with instructions for customers to prepare on their own.

MORRISTOWN, New Jersey -- ESO Artisanal Pasta is bringing the authentic taste of Italy to homes across New Jersey.

The pasta shop, which opened in July 2020, is located in Morristown, New Jersey, and specializes in handmade pasta and sauces.

"The whole point of us starting this business during the pandemic was so that you could have a Michelin star meal right in your home," said AJ Sankofa, ESO's Executive Chef.

Operating out of the storefront of a local bakery, Sankofa partnered with his friends Joel Camarillo-Diaz, manager, and Isaiah Findley-Pinnock, operations manager, to bring this business to life.

Related: Hot chocolate bombs are exploding all over the internet and at this New Jersey bakery

Every week, the pasta shop rolls out a variety of fresh and handmade products, sold with instructions for customers to prepare on their own.

"We have the people who have heard about our business and our product, we have the repeat customers, and then we have the skeptical people who come in, get a little bit of something and then they come back and they're like: "wow, you can really tell the difference compared to store-bought pasta and things that are mass-produced," said Sankofa.

Sankofa, who trained under two different Michelin starred chefs and perfected his pasta-making skills by studying and working in Italy, spends his days rolling and perfecting every batch of pasta the comes out of his kitchen.

"It's hard to find anyone, especially in New Jersey, that's putting as much effort as a pasta business, not even as a restaurant, as we are into our craft every day. We're always trying to get better. The next batch has to be better than the last; that's our motto and we stick to that," said Sankofa.

----------

Contact Community Journalist Miguel Amaya

Submit a tip to Miguel

Follow Miguel on Facebook

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Twitter

Follow @Miguelabc7NY on Instagram