McHenry County’s homegrown PastaBar, an early Food Shed supplier of its handmade, rough textured pasta, is celebrating its five–year anniversary this year.
What began as a small family operation suppling a few local farmers markets in 2021 has expanded its reach to seven markets and six local retailers. The Food Shed, a community owned, full-service grocery in Woodstock, Illinois, with a mission to support local farmers and businesses, was one of PastaBar’s first retail targets.
Owned and run by Mario and Stephanie Scordato, a husband-and-wife culinary team who live in Woodstock and operate their business out of McHenry, believe the Food Shed was a natural fit for the PastaBar.
“We live here and love to see our products close,” Mario Scordato says. “It’s a really good venue for local producers to showcase things. Plus, I think our pasta fits with the mix of products the Food Shed offers as far as the quality level.”
Their pasta is made by hand using 90 percent semolina flour, a non-GMO, no-spray wheat product imported from Italy’s Paolo Mariani mill, and 10 percent organic durum wheat from Janie’s Mill in central Illinois. The pasta is formed using bronze dies that create a rough sauce-grabbing texture.
“Those two things set our pasta apart flavor wise, health wise too,” Mario says.
Over the years he’s heard many stories from customers who feel sick after eating foods with gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. Then they share stories about visiting Italy, eating wheat pasta there and feeling great. Mario contends that many who have problems eating gluten, actually have problems digesting low grade wheat flour.
“So if you had pasta in Italy and it didn’t bug you, you’re going to love our pasta and have the same if not better results,” he says.
A family affair
Mario and Stephanie bring decades of food experience to the PastaBar. Mario, a graduate of the University of Illinois in landscape architecture, made an early career change to follow his lifelong passion for food—a love passed down from his grandmother and mother. Mario cooked alongside both as a child.
He decided to attend the Art Institute of Colorado, a culinary school in Denver, then spent the next nine years working in Denver restaurants before returning home to Illinois. He joined The Chopping Block in Chicago as a cooking instructor, rising to sous chef before transitioning into private cheffing in Woodstock. In 2022, Mario and Stephanie, who has a background in retail distribution and marketing, purchased the PastaBar from the original owners, his sister and brother-in-law Malory Scordato and Craig Degel.
A food movement
Today, Mario and Stephanie focus on growing the business. That comes as consumers are looking for healthier food options, locally sourced groceries, whole ingredients, less additives and chemicals.
Mario believes the transition was spurred by years of large food companies meeting consumer demand for cheaper, more accessible food. That drove farmers to use more chemicals to increase production and companies to use more food additives to lengthen the shelf-life of their products.
“I feel a lot of people see the easiest way to get out of that chain is through small and local food producers,” Mario says. “Quite honestly, we can’t use these chemicals given the costs and accessibility. Inherently, I think that makes food from small producers better.
“So if we’ve got a better product coming from a small producer why not utilize someone locally,” he adds. “Now you’re supporting the ideals and the things you want out of your food but you’re also supporting people that are in your community.”
Article by Food Shed Co-op Staff Member and Owner # 2,632
Christine Stebbins
June 2026