Meet Giorgio Tavecchio | NFL Kicker & Gastro-preneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Giorgio Tavecchio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Giorgio, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve had the privilege of growing up in an Italian-American household in which meals where a sacred time and the table a sacred place. My family would come together daily to break bread and enjoy each other’s company. I began to view this time and space as not only physically nourishing, but also soulfully nourishing. It became a time and space where we would communally unite to spend time together; a habit transcending human history from a necessary means for survival to a simple celebration of life. It is this celebration of life that I deeply cherish and want to share with others! My American Football background has given me the privilege of being the first Italian-born NFL players. As such, I travel back to Italy often to visit family and run coaching camps. It was at one of these camps in 2018 that I met a fellow American Football aficionado named Paolo Tempo. We spent hours around a dinner table sharing stories while enjoying delicious food. It was during these hours around a dinner table that we felt a deep sense of unity, connection, and brotherhood. We wanted other people to share such meaningful connection, so we decided to start a company that would be the conduit to such experiences and memories.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey into American Football began with an innocent decision one afternoon in High School. This decision to join the football team as a kicker was mostly made with my stomach- due to the delicious barbecue ribs after my first practice- and has forever changed my life. American Football has given me the opportunity to attend UC Berkeley, to play four years in the Pac-10, and to continue on at the professional level with five NFL teams over the course of eight years. This journey has taken me across many state lines and to dozens of American cities where I’ve met wonderful people from all walks of life. Though the path itself may have been highly uncertain and unpredictable, one transcendent experience was how food brought people together. Wherever I went, it only took one or two shared meals to immediately become “family”; whether it be with new teammates or new neighbors. It is this human connection that made the life exciting and meaningful!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There is so much to choose from in LA!! I really like hanging out in downtown LA, near the Fashion district. It’s urban and hipster yet approachable! In this neighborhood I would eat at Rossoblu and Brera. I would then take them to Abbott-Kinney Boulevard and Venice Beach, then make sure to hit Santa Monica, Melrose, and Hollywood (of course!) In terms of food, I like the Grand Central Market downtown, a Ristorante N.10 in Hollywood, and Via Veneto in Santa Monica.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my family, and more specifically my Nonna Ottorina (“Grandma Ottorina”) for teaching me to cherish, enjoy, and respect food and wine. Without them, meals would not be special.

Website: www.eleventwelveusa.com
Instagram: eleventwelve11_12
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eleventwelve/?viewAsMember=true
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElevenTwelve-107420134156530/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0vKP2Zdsr2HYEXBZlcRiYg

Image Credits
football images credit Atlanta Falcons