If Joseph Mattiace has his way, Leesburg is gearing up for a new era in the Bassville Park district.
Giuseppe’s, Mattiace’s small takeout restaurant will open soon with “a big mission,” and is joining forces with Chill Pub to anchor a shopping center in an area not known for drawing locals in big numbers to public events.
Mattiace wants that to change. He and other business owners at 11240 Northern Ave. in Leesburg are putting on a grand opening celebration on Memorial Day weekend to commemorate the soft opening of Giuseppe’s and the grand opening of the Chill Pub, owned by Matthew Peters and Angie Frazee.
The Bassville Park Block Party weekend will include bounce houses, face painting and fairy hair by Shines by the Sun for the boys and girls. Attendees can also enjoy live music, music spun by a local DJ, eating competitions, the fastest-hand competition and a drinking competition.
On Sunday, May 25, nothing is planned.
The event closes out on Memorial Day with the raising of the American Flag on the Plaza tower, which Mattiace says “is rundown and is being given a facelift.”
During the ceremony, local officials will be on hand to listen to a performance of the National Anthem by Stephanie Stone, who will be performing from 1 to 4 p.m. “She will look familiar to Orlando Solar Bears, Orlando City Soccer and Tampa Bay Rays fans as she sings the Anthem for their games,” Mattiace said.
Mattiace has a history of using his work to give back to others. As a sports talk radio host, he helped the Make-A-Wish foundation, raising money with sports wrestling entertainment, which helped him present checks to charities.
“My wife, Barbara, and I have fed and clothed many homeless people, and we helped one pregnant teen have shelter in our home,” he told the Daily Commercial. “The young lady was guided through the adoption process and once she delivered, she started attending school again. Today, she is self-sufficient, married and has a new baby. She stays in contact with her first child and the adoptive parents.”
The affable, larger than life businessman says Giuseppe’s is his last venture: “proudly named after its owner, Giuseppe Pietro Mattiaci … well, that would’ve been my name had my family not come to America. Coming to America had a drastic effect on my family’s name forever.”
Mattiace pronounces his name Maht-YEES, a version of his name inspired by a French artist and a clerk at Ellis Island who mispronounced and misspelled his predecessor’s last name. In Italy, their last name would be Mah-tee-ACH-ee.His mother’s maiden name is Madreperla, or “Mother of Pearl” in Italian.
What will Mattiace serve at his new takeout spot? Many of the recipes you will find, from a full meal to cookies, beloved pastries like cannoli and sfogliatelle and, hopefully, biscotti, from longtime family recipes, Mattiace says.
He plans to make braciole, a northern Italian-American favorite, braciole (which you may have heard pronounced BRAH-zhole by Tony Soprano), made with thinly sliced beef, pounded and stuffed with a filling, before being strung together, rolled and braised.
“We just did six free tastings, one each week,” Mattiace said. “The one thing that people were shocked about is that we make the braciole with actual real steak. We use top round. It was so tender, people were cutting the steak with a plastic to-go fork.” Meaty submarine sandwiches with names inspired by mob bosses are also in the works.
Mattiace emphasizes that his meatballs are “highly regarded,” from a recipe that is more than 125 years old and kept under lock and key. “To date, three people on the planet know the recipe. All three are family,” he said.
The business owner doesn’t mind the Italian-American stereotypes. “They are funny because more times than not, they are true,” he said.
“Italians love to eat. Italians love to feed people. Giuseppe’s has embraced the very essence of what it means to be Italian in its slogan, ‘We’re Feeding Everybody.'”
Mattiace has hired Zachary “Z” Grier as his chef. “He has been added to the team as a chef who will predominantly be bringing the changes to the menu during the seasons as well as bringing the Z specials,” the boss said, adding that Grier explores the “full palate with flavors from around the world.”
A point of pride is Giuseppe’s “REAL Italian Ice.” The all-caps REAL means no artificial colors and real fruit.”
Mattiace said that he will continue his work in the community through the restaurant. First, with a low-cost meal program.
“Today, our elderly are faced with life choices that include the decision between medicine and food,” Mattiace said. “On our website, there will be a regular menu and also a calendar of the month with each special for the day. This will allow a senior to order ahead, or adult children can help a parent or family member challenged by time or distance.”
Giuseppe’s will offer low-cost Italian ice or ice cream to every school for fundraising for extracurricular activities. Keeping children off the streets is important, and now, with 67%, as of 2023, of homes having both parents’ work, the challenge is greater.”
Having a neighborhood hangout, he hopes, will help youth have somewhere to go where they will be welcome for some Italian ice refreshment.
The Bassville Park Memorial Weekend Block Party, celebrating the grand opening of the Chill Pub and the soft opening of Giuseppe’s, starts Friday, May 23, 6-10 p.m., featuring live music from Stephanie Stone. On Saturday, May 24, amusements for kids will be featured 1-4 p.m. Adults can enjoy live music that night from 6 to 10 p.m. with tunes by The Dive Bar Rockers.
At 2 p.m. on Memorial Day, a flag raising with color guard and various local officials will take place. The eating contest events will take place Monday, May 26, 1-5 p.m. with live music once again by Stephanie Stone.
Visit facebook.com/GiuseppesLLC for other details.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Will Giuseppe’s and Chill Pub’s Memorial Day block party spark new era for Bassville Park?
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
