Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Del Gardo
Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In 2012, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer and at that time, my Doctor stated that if I would have waited another month to see him, he stated that I would have to get my life in order. I was that close of being end of life at 44 years old. But after several months, a few surgeries and chemo, I beat the cancer. After cancer, I decided to start a foundation called Protect The Pecs which was an awareness/education on breast cancer in men and women. I worked this foundation for 5 years until 2017. Afterwards, I decided I wanted to do something fun and amazing for the rest of my life. Something that brings joy to the World through my cooking and creativity. And Del Gardo’s Cannoli Bar became my brainchild. I started making cannoli flavors from the kitchen of my apartment in 2017, donating my cannoli creations to foundations in my area. After a year of testing the market, I decided on opening and brick/mortar location in Covington, Kentucky. I opened the shop with 50 flavors but now in 2025, I have over 250 flavors. For the past 7 years, I have served over 150.000 cannoli in the Greater Cincinnati area. And my goal is to do 500.000 by 2030.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. It never is in the life of an entrepreneur, especially in the food industry. Most restaurants fail within a 18 year months but I keep trudging along. Even through Covid, I managed to increase sales by 25% by implementing an online ordering system and curbside delivery. But each year, it is increasing getting harder because of rising food costs, rent increases, shortage of employees, and the saturation of restaurants in the area. But the one thing I was able to do was not to increase the cost of the cannoli to my customers without sacrificing the quality of the ingredients.
We’ve been impressed with Del Gardo’s, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Del Gardo’s is a Cannoli Bar located in Covington, Kentucky. We specialize in creating gourmet cannoli and tiramisu. While most Italian restaurants offer the traditional cannoli made with ricotta and tiramisu, Del Gardo’s offers a new tradition on the classic desserts. We have over 250 flavors of cannoli and every week, The Cannoli Guy creates a new flavor to be added to the menu. For example, he created a sweet and savory cannoli; Wasabi Cannoli Cream garnished with Smoked Salmon with a hint of Ginger and Soy.
Del Gardo’s offers customers a delectable array of flavors to choose from whether it is for a private corporate event, birthdays or our specialty,….Weddings!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
We are seeing that the Cannoli are taking over the dessert world. The traditional desserts for weddings are becoming a think of the past. People want something different and exciting for their guests.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.delgardos.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delgardoscannoli
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delgardoscannoli
