After 34 years, a Tri-Cities pasta company is sold — again
There has been a number of things shaking up in the food industry around Tri-Cities — a Kennewick restaurant closed and a Pasco eatery is opening a storefront.
And one the biggest changes is the sale of a longtime family-owned pasta company.
Pasta Mama’s has been sold to the owners of the newly opened Grace Kitchen, a nonprofit that trains women in poverty in the food industry so they can become gainfully employed.
Grace Kitchen owners Amanda and Devin Lorraine, a pastor at Lighthouse Church in Richland, purchased the longtime brand and are waiting on the Department of Agriculture’s approval to begin production of the original recipes.
“We are using the same exact flour with the same company. We are doing everything the same except the label — it will be Pasta Mama’s by Grace Kitchen,” said Amanda Lorraine.
All the equipment from Pasta Mama’s now is installed at Grace Kitchen’s Pasco home — the former Tri-City Union Gospel Mission’s men shelter that they bought last March and have been renovating.
Lorraine said by year’s end they will open a retail shop in addition to selling the pastas in stores around the Tri-Cities. They already produce and sell meat rubs.
Pasta Mama’s began in 1986 when Diane Santillie starting making and selling her homemade pasta — eventually distributing products across the U.S.
The business took a turn after her husband, Paul Santillie, was paralyzed during a hot air balloon ride for his 50th birthday in 1994.
Mounting medical bills forced the couple to sell the business and file for bankruptcy in 1997. But that wasn’t the end of the story — the Spokane company that purchased Pasta Mama’s went out of business.
The Santillies regained the rights to the name in 2010 and brought the brand back to life with the recipes that they kept in the earlier sale.
Diane Santillie had developed the recipes years ago — black pepper, garlic-basil, tomato and her unique desert pastas too, chocolate and apple spice.
And they briefly tried opening an Italian restaurant, Santilli’s, and gift shop in the Columbia Center North mall in Richland.
But Diane Santillie died of cancer on Thanksgiving Day 2013, and Paul later sold to his business partner.
▪ Fresh Leaf Co. is moving from Kennewick to 1080 George Washington Way in Richland to join a growing area that includes Tri-Cities Cider House and Porter’s Real Barbecue.
The eatery that specializes in salads, wraps, soups and smoothies that are made from 98 percent organic fruits and vegetables already has closed its Kennewick shop at 2617 W. Kennewick Ave.
Fresh Leaf Co. expects to reopen in the new location in March.
Online: freshleafco.com and Facebook
▪ Super Quesadilla Gigante, 220 N. 18th St. in Pasco, has moved into a restaurant space after many years of serving authentic Mexican food from a stall at the Pasco Flea Market.
The Pasco Flea Market did not operate this year except for several weeks in November because of COVID restrictions.
Hours at Super Quesadilla Gigante are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Call: 509-792-1266. Online: superquesadillagigante.business.site/#gallery or Facebook.
Email Allison Stormo at astormo@tricityherald.com to share news about your new restaurant, food truck, drinking establishment or other changes.
This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 12:10 PM.