About Us
Luigi Curcio
Looking back to the days of chef Luigi Curcio
“I cook by experience – by taste – by feel.” says our honored chef, Luigi Curcio, originator of Sun-Ray Pizza located at 440 Main Street in Little Falls.
Luigi continued, “In my native Polla, a province of Salerno, Italy, my family and I learned how to cook by watching my mother, Teresa and my father Antonio. My family owned a farm while my mother created family dishes. We were young kids, but we could cook!”
”We never went to cooking school. Cooking came naturally to us. My brothers, yes, my entire family carried the tradition from Italy to America.”
Years later Luigi, affable and outgoing, still retained the Italian flavored accent of his native Salerno. His manner and personality would shine as he discussed his business and family. The best part of Luigi retaining anything Italian is the lessons he learned as a child, those of which is still evident today with the pizza and Italian specialties that is served at Sun-Ray Pizza.
Sun-Ray Today
It has been 40 years since Luigi began cooking in the United States. He was the first member of his family to leave Salerno. And coming to the US was difficult for him because he couldn’t speak the language, yet, he knew he wanted to make a home here.
With the help of an uncle he found employment with a cookie company in Clifton. He picked up English while speaking with the locals. It was a lonely time for Luigi because his family was in Europe. When it was viably and monetarily feasible, the rest of his family arrived in the United States. Back then, all his brothers were in the business and settled with their families in and around Northern New Jersey.
”When everybody was finally here in this county we decided to open a stand on the boardwalk in Atlantic City in 1960. Following the stand we purchased a bakery in Paterson and later decided to make pizzas", says Luigi. Calling the restaurant Sun-Ray Pizza, was a nod to the previous bakery. The place soon was busy. Lugi stayed in Paterson for many years before moving to Little Falls.”
With his fresh specialties and terrific pizza Luigi has built up a following that continues to this day – even though some of the old customers must travel farther than before to dine on Sun-Ray specialties!
His thousands of customers traveled just to pick-up the Italian cuisine Luigi offered. In this day and age of a Pizza Parlor being on practically every corner Luigi could look down on the great reputation that he created and justifiably be proud.
In Sept 2021 Lugi passed but today his sons Angelo and Ralph continue the family business.
Stop by to taste the great tradition that started in Polla Italy.
