Matteo Ferdinandi – Managing Partner

Matteo Ferdinandi is known in the restaurant industry throughout the United States as the Vice President/Partner of Chef Celestino Drago company: Drago Management LLC.and has been the mind behind the companys  newest concept Drago Centro in downtown Los Angeles, which he planned and launched in 2008.

Born in Venice, Italy in 1966 from a family of bakers and restaurateurs, Matteo Ferdinandi graduated from " Istituto per Geometri" Solitro in Padova, Italy in 1986. During the summer, Matteo worked with his father Guido Ferdinandi, at the bakery that has been owned and operated by the Ferdinandi family for four generations. Matteo also worked at Uncle Giorgio Zennaro’s restaurant "Il Colombo" where his passion for the restaurant business developed.
In 1986 Matteo moved to London, England to study English and worked at Ristorante Italiano under the patronage of Maitre d’ Pasquale Ruggero. In 1992, Matteo realized a life-long dream and moved to the United States. In New York City, Matteo worked in a variety of restaurants as waiter and understood that in order to own his own restaurant one-day, he would need to redirect his career to the management aspect of the business.

After a visit to Los Angeles in 1994, Matteo fell in love with the city and moved to California. In Los Angeles Matteo decided to work for Spectrum Foods, Inc. where he gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in regards to restaurant financials and training for junior managers. He took classes at the corporate office studying topics such as: Understanding of the P&L, General Ledger, Financial Statements, Human Resources, Laws applied to the Restaurant Industry, etc.

Matteo was always on the move, and when the right opportunity presented itself, he moved back to NYC to accept the position as General Manager of Coco Pazzo from restaurateur Pino Luongo.

In 2003, Matteo accepted the position as General Manager of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago Las Vegas. Once again he reached the top of the corporate ladder and under his patronage Spago won the Epicurean award of "Best Power Lunch" and "Best American Restaurant". Spago Las Vegas is the most profitable restaurant within the WPFDG contributing a gross income of almost $14 million annually. Matteo moved back to Los Angeles as the General Manager of Wolfgang Puck’s newest Restaurant "CUT and sidebar", at the Beverly Wilshire. He was in charge of creating the service concept, the financials, and the overall business planning.
In 2007 Matteo and his partner created the concept of "Froma on Melrose" a Cafe-Retail concept that has changed the face of casual dining in the West Hollywood neighborhood. Teaming up with Frank“Paco”Hannigan, in 2007 the three now co-own "Froma on Melrose”.

Currently, as the Vice President/Partner of "Drago Management LLC" Matteo manages the overall businesses, works on the companies expansion, marketing and public relations. Matteo oversees and assists in operations oversight; he implements consistent and efficient operational control and procedures that improve sales, service, and overall profitability.