Candace Cacciano and her son, Michael Cacciano, work side-by-side every day serving sandwiches, soups and other breakfast and lunch food to locals at Out 2 Lunch in downtown Ansonia.
The luncheonette at 41 Bridge St. opened in November, and business has picked up over the past couple of months.
Michael owns the business, and Candace manages it.
Candace recently took a break from her busy schedule to talk with the Valley Independent Sentinel about the new business, and what it’s like to work on a mother-son team.
Valley Independent: What’s it like working with your son everyday? Do you keep up with him on what’s going on outside of the job?
Candace Cacciano: I am a single mom, so we are very close.
Valley Independent: Do you work together during the days?
Candace Cacciano: Yes, every day. He just left. You missed him.
Valley Independent: So do you ever yell at him on the job?
Candace Cacciano: No, not really. We both have our pet peeves but we do things the same and don’t clash. He just doesn’t want me to call him by his nickname.
Valley Independent: Okay, now you know I am going to have to ask you what his nickname is. But, it’s not like I am asking you to show me pictures of him as a baby.
Photo: Tina Ugas Candace Cacciano stands behind the counter at Out 2 Lunch recently.
Valley Independent: How old is Michael?
Candace Cacciano: He is 23 in a few days.
Valley Independent: Who taught him to cook?
Candace Cacciano: I did.
Valley Independent: Do you remember the first meal?
Candace Cacciano: Mac and cheese?
Valley Independent: Box or scratch?
Candace Cacciano: Box of course.
Valley Independent: When did you two get the idea to open the business together?
Candace Cacciano: I always wanted a breakfast business. I developed fibromyalgia a few years ago and I couldn’t work full time. When the business became available my son said let’s open the business and he would run it and I can help out.
Valley Independent: What’s your best selling item?
Candace Cacciano: Chicken Cordon Bleu and the Philly Cheese Steak. I make an awesome fresh sliced beef. I buy a whole piece of beef and slice it. Also, a lot of people like that we serve breakfast all day.
Valley Independent: Are you working on any new menu items?
Candace Cacciano: We are coming out with a new dinner menu. We will be open until 6 p.m. so people can pick up dinner on the way home. It’s going to be great for people who don’t have time to cook.
Valley Independent: Do you have your menu online?
Candace Cacciano: It will be online in a week. We will also have soup everyday and homemade chili.
Valley Independent: Any homemade desserts?
Candace Cacciano: Yes, pies, cookies and we just made banana bread. All the deserts we make are made like you find at home.
Valley Independent: Do you deliver?
Candace Cacciano: During lunch my son delivers – especially to local businesses. A lot of businesses here are run by one person so they can’t close for lunch.
Valley Independent: Anything else you want to tell us about yourself or Out 2 Lunch?
Candace Cacciano: We do catering. We do sandwich platters and luncheon trays.
Out2Lunch is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
For more information, call (203) 736‑4660.
