Once Closed For Good, Morristown's ESO Artisanal Pasta Attempts A Comeback

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Like a phoenix from its ashes, or dough in the oven, ESO Artisanal Pasta is rising again. After deciding to close the business in September, the young entrepreneurs decided to build it back up.

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Early in the pandemic, AJ Sankofa and his fiancée, Kristina Gambarian, started a business. Gambarian made cakes and pies, while Sankofa delivered and did marketing. The business took off, and they decided to add pasta to the mix. Sankofa got together with friends to develop ESO Artisinal Pasta, opening July 1, 2020.

But "unforeseen internal conflicts with former partners" left them in a difficult position, so they announced in September they would close. But the young entrepreneurs fought back, and they're fulfilling a second chance.

They've raised more than $12,000 as of Thursday afternoon via a GoFundMe. Click here for the GoFundMe page.

"As of now, we are hoping to open our doors just in time for the holidays, or should I say Mac & Cheese and Lasagna Alla Norma season!" the fundraising page says.

Related articles:

• June 24: Chef's Journey Takes Authentic Flavor From Italy To Morristown
• Sept. 2: ESO Artisanal Pasta In Morristown To Close

Before Sankofa became "Chef AJ," he learned on the job under Kevin Sippel — previously Jockey Hollow's executive chef. Sankofa knew Sippel studied somewhere in Italy, so he looked into schools and found the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners.

"I asked Chef Kevin his opinion on the school," Sankofa said. "He actually smiled and pulled out a picture of his graduation photo from the school back in 1998. From there, I set out to follow that path."

Sankofa earned his master's degree from the school and completed an internship as the chef de partie at La Rossa, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Turin, of western Italy. He returned to Italy once more in 2019, when the eatery hired him back as a full-time employee.

The Morristown native crossed the pond again to work with Sippel in Buffalo, before his culinary journey took him to New York City. Sankofa and his fiancée — Kristina Gambarian — worked at Legacy Records, an Italian restaurant in Manhattan.

Then the coronavirus hit the United States, and Legacy Records furloughed them both in March 2020. During lockdown, they turned Gambarian's passion for baking into a business. Sankofa got together with friends to develop ESO Artisinal Pasta in its initial run.

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