Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick Sold $101 Million of Pasta Sauce Last Year
Observer ·
The Major Food Group founders talk about cooking on a tiny apartment stove, how they split the work and what they owe the rooms they inherit.
Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick served more than 3.2 million guests in 2025. Their Carbone Fine Food line did $101.3 million in sales last year, up 76.9 percent, and is now stocked in nearly 30,000 stores across all 50 states. In New York, Torrisi and Carbone remain the hardest tables in the group to book, according to the company. Both release tables 30 days out.
They also took Major Food Group into three new countries. They opened Carbone in London last September and in Dubai last October. This April, in Cartagena, Colombia, they opened The Grand Grill steakhouse and Bar Lelarge, the group’s first concepts in South America, inside the Four Seasons’ Club Cartagena, a 1920s Beaux-Arts landmark. In June, they announced a deal with hoteliers Ira Drukier and Richard Born for an American tavern and steakhouse in the former Tribeca Grill space at 375 Greenwich Street, slated for 2027. It’s the latest in a run of storied New York rooms, after The Grill in the Seagram Building and the original Carbone in Rocco’s former space. Beyond restaurants, the partners are building branded residences at Terra’s Villa Miami. They’re also working on a project in West Palm Beach with Stephen Ross ; a redevelopment of Nikki Beach in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood with the Boucher Brothers; and, with Palm Tree Crew and 8K Capital, the purchase and redevelopment of River Valley Ranch in Aspen, Colo.
Carbone, Torrisi and Zalaznick, all 2026 Nightlife & Dining Power List honorees, talked to Observer about their early days, how they divide the work and what they owe the rooms they take over.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Torrisi: Mario and I have been cooking together since culinary school. We were roommates, worked in some of the same kitchens and spent countless hours experimenting with recipes on the tiny stove in our apartment before opening Torrisi. Plenty of dishes never made it beyond those early experiments, but that was part of figuring out who we were as chefs. When we opened Torrisi, we had very little money, but we had a clear point of view about the kind of food we wanted to make. Some of those early ideas evolved into dishes we still serve today, while others belonged to that particular moment.
Zalaznick: We each have our areas of expertise, but every major decision is collaborative. I focus primarily on the business, real estate, partnerships and global expansion. Mario oversees the creative direction of our restaurants and guest experiences, from the menus and interiors to the music, lighting, service, staff uniforms and tableware, while working closely with Rich on the culinary side. Rich leads our culinary development, research and menu innovation across the portfolio.
When we were developing Carbone, we spent more than a year looking for the right location, because we knew the restaurant needed a space with authentic New York history. We’ve never believed in forcing a concept into a location simply because it’s available. All three of us need to believe in it, and if the right opportunity isn’t there, we’re willing to wait.
Torrisi: We’ve always been passionate about restaurant history, architecture and the stories behind the spaces we inhabit. When you take over a place with that kind of legacy, there’s a responsibility to honor what came before while creating something that feels entirely new. We approached The Grill and The Pool as custodians of their history, preserving what made those rooms extraordinary while introducing a new culinary and hospitality experience. The first step is always understanding what makes a place special, and then finding a way to give it new life for another generation.
Carbone: When we launched Carbone Fine Food, the idea was simple: bring the same quality and attention to detail that defines Carbone into people’s homes. We knew there was an opportunity, but the response has exceeded our expectations. A restaurant can only welcome so many guests in a night, while our sauces can reach millions of people who may never have the opportunity to dine with us. That’s incredibly exciting, but it doesn’t change how we approach the brand. Whether we’re preparing a plate of spicy rigatoni in one of our restaurants or developing a sauce for someone’s kitchen, the philosophy remains the same: Take something familiar, use the best possible ingredients and make it exceptional.
Zalaznick: Cartagena has an extraordinary history, architecture and cultural identity, all qualities that naturally appeal to us. When the Santo Domingo family invited us to be part of the Four Seasons, the opportunity to create something within the historic Club Cartagena was particularly compelling. We wanted to respect that heritage while bringing our own perspective. The Grand Grill stays true to the traditions of a classic American steakhouse, while Bar Lelarge allowed us to explore the flavors of the Caribbean coast, incorporating ingredients like lulo, mango and Colombian coffee into the cocktail program.
See all of Observer’s 2026 Nightlife & Dining Power List honorees.