Small Business Saturday: Eso Artisanal in Morristown
Located in downtown Morristown is a pasta shop that is getting a lot of attention. ESO Artisinal is a hot spot for those looking for authentic homemade pasta, homemade sauces, and take-out meals.
Helmed by Executive Chef AJ Sankofa, ESO Artisinal made its debut in July 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. They were blessed to receive an amazing opportunity from Andrea Lekberg owner of The Artist Baker to use her dining area as their storefront on Cattano Ave. Chef AJ says the feedback has been “above amazing, constantly exceeding our expectations”.
The business is owned by three friends who graduated from Morristown High School and would go on to work at Chris Cannons Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen for several years. Along with Chef AJ, Joel Camarillo-Diaz is the General Manager, and Isaiah Findley-Pinnock is the Operations Manager.
What makes their pasta stand out is using the best flour they can get their hands on directly imported from Italy. They don’t use any preservatives, all of their techniques are authentic Italian, and they are really passionate about what they do.
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I asked Chef AJ where his background in Italian food began. “I got into Italian food back in 2014 when Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen opened, under the influence of the original Executive Chef Kevin Sippel who went to school and worked Italy and speculated in the cuisine as a whole.”
“In 2016 I would attend the same school as Chef Kevin did, the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in Costigliole D’asti, Piemonte. I would end up returning to Italy again in 2019 to work full-time as Chef Di Partie at Michelin starred Ristorante Larossa. I worked at the pasta station at every restaurant I ever worked in. I guess that’s just the way things worked out for me.”
Options you can find at Eso Artisinal include their spaghetti, bucatini, beet bucatini, gnocchi di ricotta, lasagna sheets, tagliatelle, create de gallo, and whole wheat fiorentini. They also carry gluten-free versions of their pasta.
They also currently carry 9 signature sauces including a Pomodoro, arrabiatta (my favorite), panna e fungi (another favorite), and more.
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You can purchase their pasta frozen and ready to use. Instructions and recipes can be found on their website.
For those who don’t want to cook. ESO artisinal is currently offering take-out on Fridays and Saturdays. Let Chef AJ Chef take you back to the Motherland with Italian classics served hot and ready to go.
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His advice to fellow entrepreneurs is “Stay focused on what you want to do and don’t let anybody deter you along the way. Hard work and dedication overcome all obstacles”.
When I asked what his plans for the future were he said “Expansion, we are currently in the process of looking for a new location. We’ve got a lot of surprises up our sleeves!”
For more information be sure to check out their Website, Facebook, and Instagram.
