In 2022, after more than 20 years of flourishing in Music City, Alfresco Pasta, a beloved producer of gourmet pasta, announced it would be relocating from Nashville to Bells, Tennessee, a town with a population of less than 2,500 people.
This strategic move was driven by the company’s need for more space to accommodate its growing operations, and in the last two years, it has brought significant benefits to both the company and local workforce.
Chris Grissom started Alfresco Pasta in 2000, bringing his two decades of restaurant experience to the table. The company’s journey began in Nashville, where Grissom leveraged his connections to launch the company.
“Nashville was just starting to be a food destination city then, and so the timing was really good for it,” Grissom recalled.
Alfresco Pasta’s first location was at the Nashville Business Incubation Center, a local startup known for “growing tiny acorns to mighty oaks,” which is exactly what happened for Grissom and his business.
“There was a demand for fresh pasta in the southeast and nationally. We tapped into that,” Grissom said. “We started selling all over the southeast, and then we grew, and now, we sell from New York to Chicago, down to Miami, over to western Colorado.”
After operating out of three different kitchens in Nashville, Grissom realized it was time for a much bigger space.
“We found this building in Bells, and it’s a great location,” Grissom said. “The building is fantastic, the labor force is good out here, and it’s relatively inexpensive, as far as Tennessee goes, to manufacture here.”
Alfresco Pasta’s growth has brought high-quality jobs to rural Tennessee. Since the company’s move to Bells, its workforce has grown from 10 to 30 employees, with no signs of stopping.
“The community wins because they have a consistent, high-quality place to work that pays well, and then of course, we win because we need high quality labor to make pasta,” Grissom said.
Jose Enamorado’s culinary journey as one of the chefs at Alfresco Pasta began in Nashville. When it was time for the company to move to Bells, Enamorado initially hesitated. However, a visit to the facility changed his mind.
“I saw how nice the building was, the setting. Everything was different, better than there (Nashville),” Enamorado explained. “So, I decided to sell my condo in Nashville and move to Bells.”
Enamorado is originally from El Salvador, and in 1984, he left the Salvadorian army and moved to San Francisco, California, where he got his first job in a small, fancy Italian restaurant.
“I discovered that cooking was my passion, and coming from the army into a kitchen, that was a big, big change in my life,” Enamorado said.
With over 40 years of experience in Italian cuisine, Enamorado takes immense pride in the high standards of Alfresco Pasta’s products.
“I love what I’m doing here,” Enamorado said. “We are very consistent. You taste one batch of raviolis we made last month, and you taste it today, it is the same quality, the same consistency.”
“You taste one batch of raviolis we made last month, and you taste it today, it is the same quality, the same consistency.”
Grissom encourages any company coming to or wanting to expand in the Volunteer State to check into the plenty of resources and programs available to them.
“TNECD was a huge reason we were able to come out here,” Grissom explained. “I think it’s really important and beneficial for everybody involved to find your local regional group, pick up the phone and call them to find out how you can work with them.”
With a dedicated team, strong community ties and a commitment to quality, Alfresco Pasta is poised for continued success. In just the two years that the company has operated in Bells, it has gone from making 15,000 pounds of pasta per week to 60,000 pounds.
“People want a locally produced product that they understand, that comes from their community, that uses really high-quality ingredients, that’s consistent and with a team that they can count on,” Grissom said.
So, what’s next for Alfresco Pasta? According to Grissom, bread.
“We’re launching an artisan bread company, hopefully, nationally next year once we figure all that out,” Grissom said. “We’re just going to keep growing, supporting people, making great products and growing this bread company.”
To learn more about Alfresco Pasta, visit alfrescopasta.com.
