About

The evolution from renowned family-owned patisserie that provided sweetness, to entertainment company that gives emotions.

A forward-looking and original vision, a decisive and original personality, and an important national and international experience: this is how Natale Pasticceria, year after year, has reached the peaks of Salento haute patisserie. The art of the pastry chef is not improvised but is built with time and passion. The story of Fernando Natale is the story of a craftsman who has achieved pure excellence.

Our history

Natale Pasticceria is the story of a family-run business that began in 1978, when Fernando opened a small pastry and ice cream shop in San Cesario with the aim of preserving and reworking the Salento tradition.
In 1993, the company moved to a nineteenth century stately building, opening a chocolate and coffee shop where the Italian aperitif fashion was started ahead of times. Six years later the historic Avio bar, in Via Trinchese in Lecce, reopened its doors renamed as “Gelateria Pasticceria Natale”.

In 1999 Fernando inaugurated the catering and banqueting services, entrusting a team of chefs and waiters with organizing outdoor ceremonies. The attention to details and the care of the quality of the ingredients have been the key to its success.

Natale Pasticceria has baked the most original and symbolic creations of Salento, such as the cake dedicated to Maria D’Enghien that was presented at the Paisiello Theater in Lecce in 2001. Over time it has experienced various international events, notably at London’s Fortnum & Mason where the Panettone Paradiso, made with Toritto’s almond paste, was presented.
Among its flagship products noteworthy is the pasticciotto ice cream. It impressed journalist Augusto Fino so much that in his newspaper column, he branded the Lecce ice cream parlor as “a temple of lustful sweetness”.

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years of experience

I am a daughter of art. My passion? To make dreams come true.

Agnese Natale

Founder

Agnese is Fernando and Lina Natale’s firstborn, founders of Natale Pasticceria, a Salento brand renowned throughout Italy as a leader in haute patisserie. She defines herself as a “child of the arts” since her father is a master pastry chef, and her mother a window dresser.

Her passion? Realizing dreams, those of others.
Agnese has inherited from her family the pleasure of hospitality. A passion that has been translated into the start in the 90’s of the “Catering and Banqueting” service to manage every aspect of events. According to Agnese, hospitality is an art to be learned, cherished and shared. Unsurprisingly, she chose to study and train in this sector.
After her Diploma in Master of Art in 2004, she started employment in Natale Pasticceria as dishwasher. A year later
she worked as a shop assistant in the family ice cream shop in via Trinchese, in Lecce.

Starting from the bottom was a long way up. Her career has touched all sectors of the company until Fernando decided to fulfil his daughter’s dream, assigning her to the service of Catering and Banqueting. In 2006 Agnese worked as a hostess for the events and also as dishwasher at the Circolo Cittadino, where the company was taking care of the catering service.
From 2007 to 2008 Agnese lived in Milan, finding employment in the commercial sector and in event management for the company “Il Maestro di Casa” which managed the bars of the San Siro stadium, the kitchen of the Pirellone, the bars and kitchens of the Assago forum, the cafeteria of Dolce and Gabbana in Legnano, and the GOLD restaurant of D&G, and also weddings and luxury events at Villa Crespi and Villa Reale in Monza. This experience paved the way for her in the event organization sector, in which Agnese found her professional focus from 2008 until today.

Franz’s story is the one of a Southern Italian boy landed in the USA to pursue a dream: working in catering. His passion for cooking came from afar. Born and raised in Tricase, steeped in the local culinary traditions. Franz remembers that in a town that stood still in time, every event of the year was somehow tied to a particular dish or sweet that his mother would always prepare.

The first steps in the world of work were taken in the family’s Masseria “Borgo del Gallo”. Day after day, as he came into contact with international guests, his desire to explore the world grew in him. Not yet of age, he packed his bags and flew to Germany first, and then to England.
After graduating, he settled in the British city of Southport and began his career in the kitchen to later become executive chef. The first dream come true? Victory in the competition for the youngest chef of the year.

The mix of travel and kitchen work proved successful. Acquiring proficiency with the English language opened several doors. Franz moved to Florida becoming manager of a well-known chain of restaurants. Another exciting experience was in the Bahamas on board of the Disney cruise ships.

Back in Italy, Franz took a long journey in Asia among temples, rice fields, and lagoons, an experience that remained in his heart. Thanks to that experience he managed a structure in the historic centre of Lecce that offered oriental cuisine.
During the pandemic, Franz decided to dedicate himself to another project, that of event management. His first event, conceived and organized by himself, was a fundraiser to support the Tricase hospital in the creation of a neonatal intensive care unit.

An experience of solidarity, rich in emotions, which convinced him to persevere on this path. Today, he is the head of one of the most famous companies in Salento: Natale Eventi.

I am a daughter of art. My passion? To make dreams come true.

Franz D'Averza

Art Director

Italian