Salvatore Cisaria came from Italy in 1986. He had a great love for espresso and a skill for machining. As a tool and die professional in Florence, Italy, he built dies for coins, cutting, shaping, stamping and forming. His designs were elegant yet simple. Some of his customers were Fendi, Gucci and Valentino, to mention only a few.

He started Salvatore Espresso Systems in 1988, selling coffee, importing espresso machines, and performing repairs. Salvatore began to realize that the American market for espresso drinking had arrived.

In 1992 he decided that he would manufacture the machines in the USA. Salvatore wanted to use the skills he had used in Florence, as well as his design theory. His focus was on mechanically simple, but sophisticated and elegant designs. These pages show the beautiful yet highly functional results.Salvatore Cisaria, founder of Salvatore Espresso Systems Inc., was born in 1953 in Ostuni, Italy, the son of a farming family. Ostuni is a small village in the Southeast, near the Adriatic Sea.

Biography

1966-1970

While attending school, Salvatore worked in his uncle's cafe, learning the restaurant business and the art of espresso making. Repairing espresso machines came naturally, as well as plumbing, welding and electrical skills.

1971

As is required in Italy, Salvatore spent two years in the Army.

1975 - 1985

Salvatore went to Florence and learned the tool and die trade. His skills grew to include designing machines and dies for mass production of specialized stampings.

1986

Salvatore immigrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, CA. He spoke very little English, but he found work in the restaurant Cafe Roma, starting as a dish washer and later served as a waiter.

1987-1988

Salvatore began to repair espresso machines, pasta machines and various types of restaurant equipment.

1989

Finding that very few people knew about espresso and espresso machines, Salvatore decided to go into business. He selected Santa Barbara as the ideal place to start. Santa Barbara, a small town nestled between the ocean and the mountains north of Los Angeles, reminded him of Italy.

He started in the basement of a school and less than a year later rented space in a building downtown. Salvatore Espresso Systems Inc. occupies this building, although the space has grown.

1989-1992

Salvatore Espresso Systems, Inc. grew importing espresso machines, selling espresso coffee beans and servicing the espresso equipment.

1993

Salvatore Espresso Systems Inc. set up facilities to manufacture its own line of espresso machines. Within the first month, the first prototype was being tested. During the six months of testing, Salvatore made the dies necessary for machine production.

By August of 1993, the first fifty machines were on the assembly line. All of these machines were quickly purchased locally, and Salvatore was ready to present the Famosa line of espresso machines to the rest of the country.

1999

Salvatore Espresso Systems Inc. relocated to Solvang California.