Matthew DiGesu is a 3rd Generation Bronx born Sicilian American who grew up in Southern Westchester County. Sunday dinner in his grandmother’s kitchen is what sparked his passion for cooking before he could even reach the meatballs from the saute pan. Matt got his start in the restaurant industry answering phones and delivering Chinese food while attending SUNY New Paltz.

After graduating New Paltz, Matt worked corporate marketing jobs for both Red Bull and Naked Juice. At Naked Juice, he served as a marketing director and moved from Brooklyn to San Diego. In 2007, after collecting a severance package and growing tired of corporate work, he walked into Hoboken Pizza in Pacific Beach and was given his first pizzeria job. Over the next 4 years, Matt learned the pizza and craft beer business. He then became the GM at the popular San Diego spot Pizzeria Luigi.

In 2015, Matt moved to the Bronx to help take care of his family. Within a few weeks of his return, he started working at Best Pizza where he learned the art of cooking in a wood fired oven, making mozzarella, pickling vegetables, brining meats and cooking with seasonal ingredients. In 2016, Matt found the La Rosa location and spent the next year reviving the 100 year old space.