About the Brand
About
PastaNito at Home brings restaurant-quality fresh pasta directly to home cooks, focusing on minimalist, artisan recipes crafted with simple, natural ingredients. Adapted from acclaimed fine-dining roots into a fast-casual favorite, PastaNito offers vegan-friendly, handcrafted pasta options that cook in minutes without compromising on authentic taste or texture.
Our mission is to bridge the gap between fresh, traditional craftsmanship and weeknight convenience, making gourmet pasta meals approachable for every kitchen.
Founding Story
PastaNito at Home grew from 3rd generation Sicilian female founder Toni Calderone’s lifelong experience in the restaurant industry and her mission to make fresh, high-quality pasta more accessible. While operating her farm-to-table restaurant, Toni developed a proprietary fresh pasta that cooks in just three minutes. That innovation later became the foundation for her food truck, fast-casual restaurants, and PastaNito franchise.
PastaNito at Home brings that same restaurant-quality pasta experience into customers’ kitchens, making it easy to enjoy fresh, authentic pasta without the time or complexity of preparing it from scratch.
At a Glance
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Top 100 Game Changers in Franchising
Alesia Visconti, CEO of Franchise Dictionary Magazine / FranServe says, “2024 was a year of explosive growth and success for the franchise model. A brand that earns the Top 100 Game Changers designation has gone the extra mile to improve people’s lives and sets itself apart! We are THRILLED to recognize and showcase these 100+ FRAN-TASTIC brands that went above and beyond. Here’s to #ChangingLives and congrats to this year's Game Changers!"
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25 Fast Casual Brands to Watch in 2026
"PastaNito is redefining fast-casual dining with its proprietary fresh pasta that cooks in under five minutes. Led by CEO Toni Calderone, the brand combines Sicilian heritage with modern technology and a scalable franchise model."
"Today’s diners aren’t just looking for “fresh”— they are seeking “value that feels worth it,” balancing premium quality with digital-first convenience. These shifts represent a new frontier for the industry, and a fresh wave of emerging brands is meeting the challenge with remarkable agility. FastCasual’s sixth annual report, “25 Brands to Watch,” identifies the trailblazers poised to become the next household names." -Cherryh Cansler, Fast Casual
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Vegan Friendly Fresh Pasta
While most fresh pastas use egg, our mineral rich water allows us to use just semolina flour and water, making a vegan friendly, all natural product.
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As Seen on the QVC Channel
This pasta company has regular appearances on the QVC Channel showcasing its two ingredient, all natural noodles that cook in 5 minutes or less.
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Changing Fast Food As We Know It
PastaNito is on a mission to prove that quality and speed aren't mutually exclusive when dining out. And now, it's proving it in your home kitchen, too. With all natural fresh pasta that cooks in 5 minutes or less, a quality meal is as easy as salting water.
Signature Products
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Team & Experts
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Toni Calderone is a restaurateur, entrepreneur, and innovator whose family legacy in the restaurant industry spans generations, beginning with her Sicilian grandparents who opened York, Pennsylvania’s first pizzeria after immigrating to the United States in the 1950s. Raised in a family of restaurant owners, Calderone developed a passion for hospitality at an early age and gained her first franchise experience working at McDonald’s as a teenager. She later founded Tutoni’s, a farm-to-table fine dining restaurant, where she created a proprietary fresh pasta noodle that cooks in just three minutes. That innovation became the foundation for Rig-a-toni, Presto Fast Italian, and ultimately PastaNito, a fast-casual pasta franchise designed to deliver fresh, high-quality meals with speed and simplicity. Recognized as a 2024 Top 50 Woman of Wonder in Franchising, and a Titan 100 CEO, Calderone is known for blending culinary tradition, operational efficiency, and community impact into a scalable restaurant concept.
Press Coverage
YOUTUBE
May 2, 2026
Mother’s day Gift Guide TV Segment on Spectrum News
FAST CASUAL
Jan 26, 2026
25 Fast Casual Brands to Watch in 2026
"PastaNito is redefining fast-casual dining with its proprietary fresh pasta that cooks in under five minutes. Led by CEO Toni Calderone, the brand combines Sicilian heritage with modern technology and a scalable franchise model."
"Today’s diners aren’t just looking for “fresh”— they are seeking “value that feels worth it,” balancing premium quality with digital-first convenience. These shifts represent a new frontier for the industry, and a fresh wave of emerging brands is meeting the challenge with remarkable agility. FastCasual’s sixth annual report, “25 Brands to Watch,” identifies the trailblazers poised to become the next household names." -Cherryh Cansler, Fast Casual
NEXTPERT NEWS
Aug 11, 2025
Emerging Brands Podcast
In this episode of Emerging Franchise Brands, Frank Fiume sits down with our own Toni Calderone, founder of PastaNito, to talk about how she transformed a fine dining background and family restaurant legacy into a fast-growing, quick-service pasta franchise. Toni shares the origin of PastaNito’s three-minute fresh pasta concept, her pandemic pivot strategy, and why she believes franchising is the path forward. From humble roots in York, Pennsylvania, to building a national distribution network, Toni’s story is one of grit, innovation, and heart.
FRANCHISE DICTIONARY MAGAZINE
Jun 22, 2025
Using Technology to Assist Customers and Franchisees
“At PastaNito, we’re simplifying operations for our franchisees by streamlining workflows, integrating smart systems and using real-time data to drive better decisions. We’re not just keeping up with the tech era – we’re using it to lead.” - Toni Calderone
THE FRANCHISE WOMAN PODCAST
Jun 2, 2025
Rewriting the Rules of Fast Casual: How Toni Calderone is Building a Pasta Empire with Heart and Grit
“In a world where disruption often gets packaged as buzzwords, Toni Calderone is the real deal. She’s not just innovating—she’s challenging everything about the way restaurants are built, scaled, and run.
The Founder and CEO of PastaNito joined The Franchise Woman Podcast to share her remarkable journey. Her story is full of personal risk, professional resilience, and a purpose that’s as bold as the dishes she serves.”
FRANCHISE DICTIONARY MAGAZINE
Feb 5, 2025
A Community Minded Spirit
“PastaNito is so much more than amazing food. The company prides itself on its locations becoming active parts of the community. When it comes to taking on new franchisees, Calderone is looking for those with a community- minded spirit. “
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL
Jan 12, 2025
Shark Tank Audition
Our founder takes on the sharks! 🦈
Against incredible odds – only about 70 out of 20,000 applicants make it to the televised pitches – our own Toni Calderone, PastaNito's Founder, embarked on an epic 36-hour journey to audition for ABC's Shark Tank.
From York to Orlando to Las Vegas, she faced long odds and even longer lines, all in the hopes of securing a spot on the show.
"I knew I couldn't miss this opportunity. I've been following Shark Tank for years with the hopes of one day presenting my own idea to the sharks," says Toni. "I was running on pure adrenaline, pasta-fueled determination, and just enough coffee to keep me moving."
Pastanito, with its determination to change the fast food industry with signature fresh pasta made in minutes, is ready to take on the nation.
FRANCHISE DICTIONARY MAGAZINE
Jan 5, 2025
Deep Italian Roots
"From a young age, Calderone was immersed in kitchen table conversation revolving around industry operations and growing restaurants."
Dec 2, 2024
Top 100 Game Changers in Franchising
Alesia Visconti, CEO of Franchise Dictionary Magazine / FranServe says, “2024 was a year of explosive growth and success for the franchise model. A brand that earns the Top 100 Game Changers designation has gone the extra mile to improve people’s lives and sets itself apart! We are THRILLED to recognize and showcase these 100+ FRAN-TASTIC brands that went above and beyond. Here’s to #ChangingLives and congrats to this year's Game Changers!"
Locations
Pasta HQ
272 S. Richland Ave., York, PA
Where all of the pasta is manufactured
Asset Library
Editorial-ready assets. All images cleared for press use with credit.
Press Contact
PH
Primary press contact
PastaNito at Home
Press inquiries
- allison@onehospitality.group
- Replies within 24 hours