Gene Todaro was born and raised in Palermo, Sicily – and he definitely knows authentic Italian cuisine. His tight-knit Sicilian family and the cherished recipes they’ve carried across continents are the lifeblood of Marcello’s Lafayette, the restaurant he founded decades ago.

A Family Undivided

Although the Todaro family settled in the United States decades ago, it didn’t come easily for them. In fact, it took two attempts. In 1902 Gene’s paternal grandparents moved to the States, where all of their children were born, including Gene’s father. But in 1920, when Gene’s grandfather was deported, the patriarch of the family returned to Sicily and brought his family with him.

Back in Italy Gene’s father and Sicilian-bred mother Rosa courted, married and started their own family of five boys: Carlos, Gene, Mario, Marcello and Robert. Growing up in the port city of Palermo, young Gene was the “gopher” for his mother, who would send him to the markets daily to get what she needed to cook, including fresh meat and seafood dishes prepared with fish, shrimp, mussels and oysters. The effects of World War II began to wear on the people of Palermo, so in 1961, when he was 14, Gene’s family renewed their American citizenships and returned to the States, resettling with an aunt and uncle living in New Orleans.

The First Marcello’s Restaurant

After graduating from West Jefferson High School in New Orleans, Gene was drafted into the military. It was when his tour ended and he returned home to get married, he decided he needed a long-term life plan. He enrolled at Loyola University in accounting and worked for a cousin, who owned Belsom’s Steakhouse on the West Bank, then helped another cousin open a restaurant. “So I was involved with the restaurant business without being in it,” he shares with a chuckle.

After earning his degree in accounting, Gene worked for several oil companies and moved to Dallas. He was becoming bored with accounting and realized he missed the hustle and bustle of the restaurant business. So, after earning his MBA at Texas A & M, he opened his first restaurant, a seafood spot in Dallas called Broussard’s, named after his business partner Frenchie Broussard.

Around the same time, Gene’s younger brother Marcello had moved to Lafayette to attend University of Southern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). Gene remembers his brother calling one day to complain about the Italian food in the area.

“He said, ‘We need to open an Italian restaurant!’” Gene recalls. So he visited Marcello in Lafayette to sample the Italian restaurants in the area. He agreed with his brother’s assessment, and in 1981, they opened their first restaurant – named Marcello’s – on the Abbeville Highway, next door to a grocery they also opened. Brother Carlos, a manager at the French Quarter A&P, moved from New Orleans to run the grocery store, and the Todaro brothers’ Italian food enterprise began.

The restaurant quickly earned a strong following of loyal patrons. So much

so that, in 1984, the brothers built a new Marcello’s in Lafayette’s Time Plaza, adding live entertainment and a wine bar. Mama Rosa was even on hand with her beloved recipes to teach her boys the secrets of her dishes. Although the new Marcello’s thrived for a time, the oil bust of the mid-80s forced the brothers to sell the restaurant.

But, as they say, everything happens for a reason. Brothers Carlos and Marcello moved to Memphis to work for a liquor company, while Gene moved back to New Orleans to open two liquor stores, one in New Orleans and one in Lafayette. This decision would be the segue into the Tedaro’s successful wine business to come – and to the eventual reopening of their family restaurant.

Marcello’s Returns

In another twist of fate, Gene returned to Lafayette when his cousin, who was running his Lafayette store, wanted to return to New Orleans. Gene simply swapped places with his cousin in 1990 and began running the Lafayette liquor store located in the former La Promenade Mall. Meanwhile, the call of the restaurant business once again beckoned Gene and his brothers, and in 1993, they reopened Marcello’s at 4650 Johnston Street. Fate once again stepped in when, sadly, two of Gene’s brothers passed away, including his partner Mario and the restaurant’s chef-to-be Robert.

For a few years, the bereaved Gene changed directions and opened a new concept spot, Café de France, with renowned sommelier Philippe Simon at the helm of the wine section. He eventually sold Café de France and moved to Austin, taking a temporary break from the restaurant business altogether. But when a prime space at 340 Kaliste Saloom Road in Lafayette became available, Gene jumped on the opportunity.

Third Time’s the Charm

In 2007 Marcello’s Lafayette officially opened at its current location, and a New Orleans location on St. Charles Avenue soon followed. Since then Marcello’s has become one of Lafayette’s go-to restaurants for Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs (made from Mama Rosa’s famous recipe). “We brought my mother on board to help us put the sauces together,” Gene explains. “The red sauces have stayed the same since we started in ‘81. Basically we use a lot of my mother’s recipes, but my taste buds are what tell me what is right or wrong.”

Recently, Marcello’s added an expanded outdoor covered patio – the perfect place for al fresco dining on a breezy day or star-lit evening. There’s even a smaller outside patio for a more intimate experience. An impressive selection of wine available for retail (and a reasonable corkage fee) entices diners to choose the perfect pairing for their meal. Patrons fondly recollect an ever present Gene extending warm greetings at the door each night, as the restaurant continued to grow.

After decades of hard work and determination and with an eye toward retirement, Gene approached Southern Hospitality Kitchens Restaurant Group (owner of Charley G’s, Southern Social Table & Bar, Pete’s and The Tap Room) to discuss a possible purchase of the restaurant. On April 19 of this year, the transfer became official, and Southern Hospitality will now take Gene’s concept forward. “We are always looking to grow, and decided that Marcello’s was a good fit for us,” says managing partner Jody Ferguson. “Marcello’s as a concept was good for us. So many of our customers were already customers at Marcello’s. With the level of service and the food – it was kind of a natural fit. And the acquisition allows us to create some opportunities for our people,” Ferguson says. Loyal patrons will be happy to hear that Marcello’s menu – and their authentic Italian recipes – will not change, and they can look forward to new specials and items to come. Executive chef Jordan Causey and sous chef Eddie Jacobs will remain on board to help ensure a smooth transition.

And don’t count out Gene just yet – he still makes appearances at Marcello’s once or twice a week. “To me, people become my friends,” he says. “I like to get to know my customers. I think that’s been a part of my success: the rapport with the customers.” The “retired” restaurateur is also preparing to launch a new concept in New Orleans. Stay tuned for details!