Meet Our General Manager, Luke Finalet

Tutti Mangia General Manager, Luke Finalet, has been a valuable part of the Tutti's team for four years. But his dedication and leadership to the Absolutely Italian Family of Restaurants dates back to 2011. 

At just 18, fresh out of high school, Luke started at Eddie's Italian Eatery (Eddie's NY Pizzeria at the time) in 2011. From delivering and slicing pizza to crafting authentic Italian dishes, his flavorful journey led him from delivery driver to a server in no time.

While Luke was serving up your favorite dishes at Eddie's, he was also mastering the art of running the kitchen. Fast forward a year and he stepped into the new role of assistant manager. After two years of more growth and hard work, he was getting ready for his next big step.  

"I loved the Claremont community during my time at Eddie's. Working in the community I grew up in was awesome; I loved catering for people we knew," he said.

At this point, he knew he found a home in the restaurant business. 

Luke went to school for sociology with a criminology emphasis, but he felt a calling to pursue a career in hospitality.

"My dad is a retired Executive Chef, and I grew up a foodie," he said.

Luke mastered the ropes as assistant manager and was offered the General Manager position at Eddie's sister restaurant, Tutti Mangia Italian Chophouse in 2020, where he brought his skills and passion to a new role. At Tutti's, he was able to serve more amazing customers in the Claremont community and beyond.

"I was super excited when Eddie asked me to run Tutti Mangia. I was definitely nervous as a young manager, but I stepped into my position with an open mind and soaked it all in," he said. "It was a really nice transition, and the staff welcomed me. They would offer feedback but also let me make decisions and work through them."

At the time, Luke wasn't only settling into a new role, but he was taking over a fine dining Italian chophouse while juggling the COVID pandemic. The challenges were just another opportunity for him to shine; he handled it all with finesse.

Then Tutti Mangia went through a remodel which was a game-changer for the restaurant, attracting a whole new group of customers.

"Tutti's transformed into an Italian Chophouse with a great cocktail and bar scene, including a well-lit, rustic yet casual atmosphere with the same fine dining heartbeat," he said.

As Tutti's GM, Luke loves working with his staff, including his chef, to create new concepts. He also loves connecting with guests, both old and new, showing them what Tutti's is all about and how it's progressed.

"We're all family here with the same goal in mind and I am grateful for everyone's support during my and the restaurant's growth," said Luke.