Meet Daniele Puleo

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniele Puleo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daniele, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Definitely from my father, he was a very hard working man, working forty years for the same company and was distinguished with the honor of “Knight of the republic of Italy” for his service. I tried to follow his footsteps throughout my career, I enjoy working and most of all I enjoy what I do, I am fully aware that every day is a different day and accept the challenges of my profession without hesitation.
To this day I don’t pronounce the word retirement, I am ready to work until my body allows me to do so, the restaurant industry has a certain amount of creativity and that keeps the mind sharp as well.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a self made professional in the restaurant industry, I moved to the US in 1989 by myself and a suitcase full of dreams, knowing that this was the Country I wanted to live in. My career took off in Los Angeles where I work with top Restaurants and Restaurateurs, Rex downtown LA, Celestino Drago and Mr. Chow to name a few. After moving to Dallas in 2000 I started my search to go on my own and finally opened Daniele Osteria and later two locations of Brix Pizza & Wine Bar. CiboDivino Marketplace came in 2010 from an idea that both me and my wife Christina had for the everchanging industry. We realized that because of a new generation customer base we needed something young and fun keeping the basics of great and authentic Italian cuisine and marrying the wine concept of the great Napa Valley area. CiboDivino is just that, good vibes, great food and amazing wine ambiance, we are very proud of it.

We do monthly wine events, we sell amazing food products, some of which are directly shipped from Italy, and of course we are very active in catering large parties, in house or to an outside location.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The first quality I have is the love and passion for what I do, never one day I thought I could’ve engaged in something else and be more successful. The second is endurance, days are longer and work needs to get done. This is not a 9 to 5 job, this is a “go home when it’s done” type of job. Third is being persistent, follow the dream, the path is right in front of you and you are in the driver’s seat, enjoy it and accept the challenges, it will make you feel alive!
The stronger advice I would give to someone who is just starting up would be to acquire as much knowledge as possible on the decided field, do not embark yourself in something you don’t know much of and keep always updated time, generation change happens and it will impact your work, change with the times and avoid to be left behind.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Without a doubt my wife Christina. She has followed my career from the early stages and has been the most helpful person during the process. As an immigrant I faced challenges, not only due to the initial language barrier but also through understanding rules and governmental regulations in doing business in a different Country.
Christina has been pushing me into new projects exalting my quality as a Chef and wine specialist, obviously mixed with love and mental support, trust me, couples can work well together. Affirmatively she is a huge part of my success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://CiboDivinomkt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cibodivinomkt/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CiboDivinoMarketplace

Image Credits

Kathy Tran & Manny Rodriguez