Madelyn Alfano

President, Maria's Italian Kitchen

Los Angeles

Madelyn Alfano, one of California’s most successful restaurant owners, believes that food is not just a necessity or pleasure, but a lifelong passion. Inspired by her parents and life in a large Italian family, Madelyn blends the finest ingredients, traditions and new ideas with the best aspects of family life to create a truly unique dining experience at Maria’s Italian Kitchen.

Today, there are 11 Maria’s Italian Kitchens with the new addition of 2 Louise’s Trattoria’s (whose founder was her sister Louise.) creating jobs for 450 people AND also now a partner in Holy Cow BBQ (2 Westside locations) soon to be three!

She is an active professional, serving as Vice Chair for the Statewide California Restaurant Association; Foundation chair National Association of Women Business Owners Los Angeles and; serves as the Co-Chair for the YPO International Hospitality Network. She sits on the Board of Advisors for the UCLA Anderson Business School and UCLA Undergraduate School. And President of Brentwood Chamber Of Commerce.

Madelyn graduated UCLA, with a BS in Psychology in 1980 and MDE from UCLA Business School in 2015 .She lives in Venice Beach CA, is married to Dr. Jeffrey Tucker, and has three children, Nicolas, Josh and Danielle.

Madelyn has been on the list of Top 50 Women Business Owners in Los Angeles for the past 10 years and chosen as one of the Top 25 Enterprising Women in Los Angeles. The L.A. Business Journal named her Business Owner/CEO of the Year at its annual Women Making a Difference Award, The California Legislative Women’s Caucus named Madelyn Alfano Woman of the Year at the State Capitol The L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce named her the Women in Business Champion of the Year. UCLA has honored her with Alumnae of the year for Community Service Award and Maria’s Italian Kitchen was awarded the L.A. Times Readers Choice Best Italian Restaurant.

Madelyn also received the Women of Inspiration Award from Shane’s Inspiration and was chosen as LABJ 2017 & SFVBJ 2018 most influential business woman.

August 2019 Madelyn was presented with the Beacon Award ;on behalf of The Foodservice Council for Women ; was created to recognize a woman leader who has truly served as a Beacon for our industry through her leadership, contributions, and inspiration.