Our love of Italy began in two very different ways—but ultimately brought us to the same place.
For us, Italy has always represented more than beautiful things. It represents craftsmanship, family, tradition, creativity, and the belief that the things we surround ourselves with should have a story.
Rachel Green Giarraputo
Rachel brings more than a decade of experience in luxury retail, with a career built around creating exceptional customer experiences and turning ideas into successful retail experiences. Her professional background includes leadership and strategic roles with Signet Jewelers, working with nationally recognized jewelry brands including Zales Jewelers, Peoples Jewellers and Banter by Piercing Pagoda. Her experience spans retail operations, store experience, strategic planning, project management, and developing high-performing teams.
With a background in Art History from the University of Central Florida, Rachel has always been drawn to the connection between art, craftsmanship, design, and the stories behind the objects we collect and treasure.
For Rachel, Ciao Shop is an opportunity to combine her passion for Italian history, culture and design with the retail experience she has spent her career developing—creating a place where customers can discover something beautiful, meaningful, and distinctly Italian.
Leonardo Giarraputo
Leonardo's connection to Italy began at home in Santa Margherita di Belice, Sicily, where he learned to cook alongside his family beginning at a young age. Those early experiences became the foundation of a lifelong career centered around Italian food, hospitality, family, and tradition.
Leonardo later moved to Orlando, Florida, where he worked as a chef in some of the area's finest dining establishments from 1987 to 2015, including the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom. In 2016, he moved to Mandeville, Louisiana, and in 2017 opened Leonardo's Trattoria & Pizzeria, bringing the flavors and family recipes of Sicily to the Northshore.
His culinary accomplishments include his restaurant being recognized as the Northshore's Best Italian Restaurant & Best Bang for the Buck for 8 years in a row in addition to Best New Restaurant in 2017. Leonardo also competed in the World Food Championships in 2018 and participated in the Grammy Awards culinary team in 2019 and the Kentucky Derby & FIFA World Cup culinary teams in 2026.
But for Leonardo, the most important part of Italian cooking has never been the awards. It's the memories, traditions, recipes, and sense of family that come with every dish. Being from Sicily, he has a personal connection to the culture that inspires the Ciao Shop.
