Handcrafted Hospitality CEO Marc Falsetto is in his sweet spot.
A strong work ethic, vital expertise and passion for fine food have put the Fort Lauderdale entrepreneur at the top of his game. The man behind ROK:BRGR, Pizza Craft, Henry’s Sandwich Station, Apothecary 330 and Tacocraft has won many accolades in South Florida, among them, “Top 40 Under 40” and “Ultimate CEO” by South Florida Business Journal.
“I love the hospitality business,” says Falsetto. “I live, eat and breathe it 24/7.”
Established in 2019, Handcrafted creates, designs and manages Falsetto’s collection of hospitality concepts.
Falsetto, 44, was born in Canada to a family of restaurateurs, moving to South Florida as a teen. Working all aspects of the restaurant business from a young age was formative. At the University of Central Florida, where he earned a degree in finance, Falsetto parlayed his skills onto the club and concert scene, making his name as a promoter.
Returning to South Florida, he pivoted to real estate in Miami. After the 2008 financial crisis, Falsetto immersed himself in the hospitality business, zeroing in on what was lacking in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
“My strategy has always been to look at what’s missing in the neighborhood. That’s how my concepts have developed,” says Falsetto. When he opened ROK:BRGR in 2011, “no one was doing elevated burgers and gastropubs at the time,” he explains.
Falsetto is in a good place personally, too. He married Danielle Dattile, Handcrafted’s corporate beverage director, two years ago. While weekdays are spent overseeing business (with time for pickleball), the CEO’s weekends are for la dolce vita. The couple enjoys a Saturday date night, often at Anthony’s Runway 84 in Fort Lauderdale that reopened in January after renovations. As an owner, he worked with partners Anthony Bruno and Pat Marzano on its relaunch as a sophisticated Italian American supper club.
Indulging his love of all things Italian, a nod to his heritage, the well-tailored hospitality chief favors Italian designers such as Canali and Zegna. Sundays are for taking a drive behind the wheel of his Ferrari 458 Italia.
In Florida, Handcrafted is promoting its Tacocraft brand. With four locations and another set for Coral Springs in February 2024, Falsetto is securing sites in Boca and West Palm to expand regionally.
Diners may expect more concepts from Falsetto. The hospitality business has become too reliant on technology, he says, and has lost sight of what keeps customers returning.
“Everybody wants to go to a place where they feel welcome. We’re going back to old school hospitality,” Falsetto says.