Carrara Pastries named Small Business of the Year


Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin and Damiano Carrara.

Every year, members of the California State Assembly name an extraordinary small business to recognize during the California Small Business Day Awards Ceremony in Sacramento.

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) named Carrara Pastries as her pick for 2019 Small Business of the Year. Carrara Pastries was honored at a ceremony in the state capital.

The bakery was founded in 2011 and is owned by TV celebrity chef Damiano Carrara and his brother Massimiliano Carrara.

Damiano moved to the United States from Lucca, Italy, when he was 19 to follow his dream of opening a pastry shop.

The restaurant sells Italian pastries, coffees, gelato and wine, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

Their most popular pastry is the frittelle, a cream puff rolled in sugar filled with fresh chantilly cream, which is vanilla custard and whipped cream combined together.

Carrara Pastries is also known for giving back to the community. The company often donates both time and food to local nonprofit organizations and public service groups.

The company has contributed to fundraisers for the Boys & Girls Club, Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program and Moorpark Pantry Plus.

Last year during the wildfires, they provided food to local first responders. Additionally, they donated to fundraisers for the victims of the Borderline shooting.

The company also hired an intern through PathPoint, a nonprofit that partners with people with disabilities, mental health diagnoses and young adults to pursue their dreams through strengthening workplace abilities, building life skills and developing relationships. The intern is now a Carrara employee.

In October 2018, Carrara Pastries moved to a new 5,000-square-foot facility in the Tuscany Square retail center, allowing more space for customers.

Carrara employs 54 full- and part-time employees.