ABOUT
CALIENDO
OUR STORY
Olive oil is in our blood.
Picture it. Great Grandfather, Francesco Caliendo came over from Naples in 1909. With Carmella, they settled their 9 children in Chicago, where they made homemade wine, Sunday Gravy and the first famous Caliendo meatball. Francesco followed his passion for olive oils, cheeses and the Italian food business and found opportunity bringing their authentic cuisine to the American pallets. It wasn’t a new idea, no. But Francesco did it his way and that’s what made him successful. He handed his business know-how and love of the tradition and simplicity of Italian ingredients down to his sons, Frank, Phillip, Vito and Michael.
TAKING THE REINS
Same roots. New rulers.
Then Anthony’s pop, Phillip Caliendo took the torch. He pioneered with great Italian cheese and olive oil producers in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and was the slickest relationship-maker between the producers and establishments that wanted and needed their products. He dominated Chicago and the tri-state NY, NJ and PA area. Meanwhile, Auntie Diane lead a 1000-man team performing pasta demos all over Chicagoland. Phillip passed his curatorship prowess and his incredible skills in the kitchen down to his firstborn son, Anthony Caliendo. Together, they launched the first line of Caliendo olive oils & prepared foods.
CALIENDO FOODS
Legacy, Reloaded.
As the head of Caliendo Foods & Imports, Inc., (est. 2008), Anthony revolutionized the Italian cheese industry through his partnership with Milano's, the multi-million-dollar cheese factory in NJ. He’s known as “The Big Cheese” and the #1 Cheese Salesperson in the US and globally. And after taking the Italian cheese business by storm, Anthony decided it was time to honor the Caliendo family name and build his own legacy. He went back to the family tradition of olive oil production and penetrating the market with premium quality products and innovative flavors. Today, Caliendo® is a trademarked brand offering the most inventive line of Olive Oils, Balsamic Vinegars and grated Italian Cheeses…oh yea, and he makes the Sunday Gravy at his house.
ANTHONY CALIENDO
The Entrepreneur. The Chef.
Anthony Caliendo is a multi-talented, international best-selling author, motivational speaker, film producer, actor and one of South Florida’s most successful entrepreneurs of his time with a string of profitable businesses within the business brokerage, real estate and food & beverage industries. He’s also the executive producer and actor in the wildly successful gangland thriller MobKing (2023). Locally known as “The Main Man” at The Business Broker Experts, one of the top business brokers in Florida. What most don't know: cooking is in his blood. You can watch Chef Caliendo on his own YouTube cooking show called The Chef'd Up! Show. Stay tuned for his highly anticipated cookbook Chef'd Up: I Do it My Way featuring the Caliendo® Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar line.
