Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommy Pisapia.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I didn’t take the traditional path. Food has always been my love language, but over the years it became much more than cooking. It became a way to challenge people’s perceptions and show that compassion doesn’t have to come at the expense of flavor.
I attended Daytona State College for culinary school and spent years working in restaurants throughout Portland before becoming an independent chef in the San Francisco Bay Area. Those experiences gave me a strong technical foundation, but they also taught me that the best food tells a story. Eventually, I made my way to Texas, where I started building Cattivo from the ground up.
I’ve always been drawn to challenging the status quo. As a lifelong punk rocker and someone who’s been vegan for nearly two decades, Cattivo became the intersection of everything I care about: Italian food, craftsmanship, compassion, and building community.
Rather than trying to imitate traditional Italian food, my goal has always been to honor it. I hand-roll fresh pasta, make my cheeses and sauces from scratch, and create dishes that feel indulgent, nostalgic, and deeply satisfying without using animal products.
Today, Cattivo is more than a pop-up. It’s my way of bringing people together around the table. I want guests to leave talking about how incredible the food was first, and only afterward realize it happened to be plant-based. If I can change someone’s perception with one unforgettable meal while making the world a little kinder in the process, then I feel like I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an ethical vegan comes with its own set of challenges in everyday life and social dynamics. The culinary world at the time was a whole different story.
When I first started, a lot of people believed truly indulgent food had to come from animals. If you didn’t subscribe to those traditions, you were often treated like an outsider. The teasing, the eye rolls, the constant jokes about vegans. Looking back, it really was the heyday of vegans being the culinary world’s punching bag.
I learned to live with it, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. It was frustrating watching people dismiss my ideas or write off my food before ever taking a bite simply because the word “vegan” was attached to it. That’s when I made a decision. Instead of arguing with people, I was going to let the food speak for itself.
One of the defining moments came during culinary school. Completing a meat fabrication course was required to graduate. I couldn’t bring myself to compromise my ethics, so I made the difficult decision to walk away instead of finishing the program.
Afterward, I sat down with the head chef, and he told me something that has stayed with me ever since:
“You don’t need a piece of paper to be successful. Go out and get experience.”
Those words gave me the confidence to carve my own path.
Moving to the West Coast changed everything. For the first time, I found kitchens that aligned with my values and surrounded myself with chefs who believed plant-based cuisine deserved the same respect as any other form of cooking.
I promised myself I would never again work in a kitchen that required me to compromise my principles.
It was the best decision I ever made.
For the first time, I wasn’t trying to convince people that vegan food could be good.
I was simply cooking the best food I knew how to make.
And that’s exactly what I still do today.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m Chef Tommy, though many folks know me as Bad Boi, the founder and chef behind Cattivo, a plant based Italian concept built around one simple idea: indulgent food doesn’t have to come at the expense of animals.
My work focuses on handmade pasta, scratch made cheeses, and traditional Italian techniques reimagined through a plant based lens. Whether I’m serving a pop up, private dinner, or catered event, my goal is always the same: create food that stands on its own merit. I want people to remember how the meal made them feel long before they remember that it was vegan.
What sets my work apart is the combination of classical technique, creativity, and purpose. I’m deeply inspired by Italian culinary traditions, but I’m equally committed to proving that compassion and exceptional cooking can exist on the same plate. Rather than asking people to lower their expectations, I challenge them to raise them.
The thing I’m most proud of is changing people’s perceptions. Some of the most rewarding moments in my career have been watching skeptical guests take their first bite and realize that plant based cuisine can be every bit as rich, comforting, and memorable as the dishes they grew up with.
At the end of the day, my work is about more than serving pasta. It’s about creating experiences that bring people together, spark conversation, and show that great food can nourish both people and the planet.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If my work resonates with you, there are plenty of ways we can connect.
You can support my work by attending one of my pop ups, booking Cattivo for a private dinner or catered event, or simply sharing what I create with friends and family. Every meal, recommendation, and conversation helps introduce more people to the idea that compassionate food can be just as indulgent and memorable as traditional cuisine.
I’m always excited to collaborate with restaurants, food brands, farmers, nonprofits, festivals, and fellow creatives who share a passion for great food, community, and positive change. Whether it’s developing recipes, hosting pop ups, creating content, speaking at events, or building unique culinary experiences, I love bringing bold ideas to life alongside people who care about making an impact.
Beyond food, I’m passionate about environmental stewardship and giving back to the communities we call home. I’d love to collaborate with organizations focused on environmental cleanups, conservation efforts, food justice, sustainability, and animal advocacy. I believe meaningful change happens when people from different backgrounds come together around a shared purpose, and I’m always looking for opportunities to use my platform to make a positive impact.
You can also support my journey by following along on social media, sharing my work, and helping spread the message that incredible food can bring people together while leaving animals off the plate.
At the end of the day, my work is about more than serving a great meal. It’s about building a more compassionate future for animals, people, and the planet, one meaningful connection at a time.
Pricing:
- Private dining experiences: Custom quotes based on guest count, menu, and location.
- • Catering: Starting at $18 per guest, with volume pricing available for larger events.
- • Premium handmade pasta and dessert upgrades available.
- Recipe development, brand collaborations, speaking engagements, and creative partnerships are quoted on a per project basis.
- Please get in touch to discuss your vision and receive a personalized proposal.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Badboivegan
- Facebook: Tommy Badboivegan
