Petaluma Profile: Italian chef opens popular booth at local Farmers Markets

Do you lick your lips for linguine? Laugh out loud when you’re served lasagne? Palpitate when presented with a plate of pasta? If so, you might want to head over to the Tuesday farmers market at Lucchesi Park and try out the offerings at The Italian Corner.

Three years ago, the husband-and-wife team of Oscar Delgado and Nicole Bordoli were working at high-end restaurants in San Francisco.

“We’d been in the business for a while and knew it well. I’d worked with an Italian chef,” Delgado said. “But at the beginning of the pandemic, we were laid off.”

They saw that as an opportunity, a new chance.

“We decided,” he said, “to start our own project. It was a chance to push through our fear and realize our dreams. We had nothing to lose – and a lot to win.”

And so, in October of 2020, they took that step, entering the warm and welcoming world of farmers markets.

“We only had a few items at first,” Delgado said, “but now we offer a full menu.”

That includes six different types of lasagne and nine different sauces, ready-to-eat dishes, fresh pastas and desserts. The Italian Corner also offers a selection of gluten-free items.

Delgado credits the locally popular Facebook group, Petaluma Foodies, for its support as the business launched. From that first market, they’ve expanded to eight more.

“Ten during the high season,” he added.

They’re planning for more. Other Sonoma County markets include Sebastopol, Healdsburg and Santa Rosa. Goals for the future include markets at the Marin Civic Center and in San Francisco.

“The beauty of this,” Delgado said, smiling, “is, it’s now us. We have more time together.”

They’ve been together 12 or 13 years, he said. She’s Italian and he’s Peruvian. They have a 6-year-old daughter, Catalina, who’s as glad as her parents are at this venture.

“She’s happy Mommy’s home more,” he said. And, she helps out where she can, including putting labels on containers.

Because they work farmers markets, their overhead is low.

“It’s a great way to grow,” Delgado said. Some benefits of the markets are meeting the community and getting to know their customers’ preferences.

At this point for Delgado and Bordoli, both in their late 30s, the future looks bright and positive. Asked if they might someday include Peruvian dishes on the menu, Delgado nodded and smiled again.

“I would love to expand to Peruvian as well,” He said.

There’s a plus for customers who can’t make it to farmers markets. The Italian Corner’s full menu is available for online ordering as well. Visit theitaliancornersf.com for more information.