When it comes to business ventures, Gaetano Ruggiero, knows a thing or two about success. Together with his wife, Beth, Guy (as he’s known) owns three restaurants and a bakery. And not just any bakery, but one that has been in existence for over eighty-four years.

So how does a kid who grew up in Elmira come to own four successful businesses? For that, we need to head to Calabria, Italy, where Guy was born. Situated in the southwest region of Italy, often referred to as the “toe” of the boot, Calabria is known for rugged mountains and picturesque coastline filled with beautiful beaches along the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas. But, when Guy was a young child, he left Calabria and traveled with his mother to the United States. “I was six years old when I was imported to New York,” he says with a laugh. He learned to cook from his mother, who brought the seafood and pasta dishes of Calabria to their new residence in Elmira.

As a teen, Guy worked in area pizzerias and restaurants, gleaning pieces of wisdom from each one. With that knowledge, his first endeavor, Giuseppe’s at 1020 South Center Street in Horseheads, was born. Classic homemade Italian food from his hometown in Italy was at the heart of the restaurant, with perennial favorites like chicken parmigiana and lasagna. Giuseppe’s offered an array of pasta dishes, specialty pizzas, and seafood dishes. Shrimp and sausage arrabbiata (sautéed shrimp, Italian sausage, hot cherry peppers, and sweet bell peppers tossed in a spicy tomato sauce with fettuccine), frutti di mare (a combination of calamari, mussels, clams, and shrimp in a marinara sauce over a bed of pasta), and Giuseppe’s Choice (bay scallops and shrimp with penne pasta, served with a marsala and fire-roasted tomato sauce then topped with aged Pecorino Romano cheese) are highlights on the menu. “We make everything from scratch,” Guy explains. “My goal is to provide an authentic Italian dining experience by sharing these recipes with diners.”

A second restaurant, Louie’s, at 102 South Main Street in Horseheads on Hanover Square, was the next venture for the Ruggieros. Like Giuseppe’s, Louie’s served delicious, fresh food but in a slightly more upscale atmosphere, and found its niche among patrons.

But it was Guy’s homemade spaghetti sauce that people went crazy for. So much so, that they wanted him to bottle it and sell it. “I found a co-packer and we started production. We ship about 9,000 jars of our regular spaghetti sauce and our roasted garlic spaghetti sauce,” he explains. Currently you can find Giuseppe’s Famous Sauce in stores like Wegmans in Elmira, Jubilee, and Hurley’s, with plans to expand to other outlets.

Through it all, Guy’s wife, Beth, whom he met at the bank where he did business, has supported him in his entrepreneurship. They’ve been married twelve years and have one son (Guy also has four grown children from another marriage).

One could say his next venture was unexpected, but it couldn’t be called half-baked.

After more than three decades of running the show, Julie Skroskznik, owner of Light’s Bakery at 211 West Second Street, Elmira, was looking to retire, so she put the business up for sale. That was in 2018. When it was still on the market in 2022, Julie’s daughter, Jody, joked that Guy should purchase the bakery. It took him a year, but eventually Guy bought the bakery in February 2023, and, with the help of the former owners, the transition was seamless.

“I wanted to keep the tradition that Light’s had but enhance it with an Italian touch,” Guy explains. Biscotti, assorted Italian cookies, and ricotta cookies soon joined the display case next to the ever-popular Half Moon cookies (a chocolatey devil’s food cake-cookie topped with half vanilla and half chocolate buttercream icing). Cannoli and various kinds of Italian breads were delicious additions as well.

The support from the community for the new owners was almost overwhelming. “Light’s has very loyal customers so we were busy right from the start when we took over,” he says.

The bakery has proven to be an asset for the Ruggieros’ Italian restaurants. “Our bread is made fresh every day, and it’s what we serve at our other establishments,” says Guy. “Even some of our desserts come from there.” Tempting treats such as cheesecake and eclairs are among the delicious offerings one can find at any of his businesses, which now number four.

At the end of 2024, a vacant storefront on Corning’s Market Street, where Cugini Café, had been became the Ruggieros’ next endeavor. “I saw the opportunity to expand into Corning, and what better address than Market Street?” Guy continues, “We opened the second Giuseppe’s in February 2025 and haven’t looked back since. We continually sell out of our desserts that we bring in from the bakery. It’s been good.”

Part pizzeria, part fine Italian cuisine, at the Corning location there are specials such as margherita slider appetizers drizzled with balsamic and shrimp carbonara. Here he also sells beer and wine, which customers sip with a view of Market Street.

In need of having an event catered? Giuseppe’s and Light’s Bakery are available to assist with all your needs. “We do everything from weddings to corporate lunches, and everything in between,” says Guy.

For More Information

Giuseppe’s—

Corning: (607) 973-2024, giuseppesitalianeatery.com
Horseheads: (607) 524-5373, giuseppesmenu.com

Louie’s—(607) 739-4555, louieshanoversquare.com

Light’s Bakery—(607) 732-5600, lightscoffeeshopandpizza.com