Gaetano’s has been a Henderson staple for nearly 25 years, but the story behind the restaurant goes back much further. Nick Palmeri joins BigHead to talk about growing up in the family restaurant business, learning from his Sicilian father, and eventually taking over the restaurant.
Nick also opens up about what it takes to run an independent restaurant in Las Vegas, why service and consistency matter just as much as the food, and how he’s built relationships with Italian producers and importers to bring more authenticity to the experience. Plus, we get into the Joe Rogan connection, ghost kitchens, bronze-cut pasta, Amaro, Nick’s favorite dishes, and his advice for making the perfect risotto.
We Get Into:
- How Gaetano’s became one of Henderson’s longtime Italian restaurants
- Nick’s father’s journey and the origins of the family business
- Joe Rogan and Theo Von loving Gaetano’s
- Ghost kitchens using the Gaetano’s name
- Why and how Nick took over
- Finally hearing his father say “I’m proud of my son”
- How Nick modernized Gaetano’s
- Visiting Italian producers and building relationships
- What bronze-cut pasta is
- Nick’s passion for Amaro and the Amaro Life project
- Maintaining quality, value, and service in a changing restaurant industry
—
The Hey BigHead Show is proud to be a Vegas Local podcast.
