Marcato Kitchen
“I didn’t just get into cooking, I chose it. And then, somehow, I feel like it chose me.” Kyle Williams’s journey to opening Marcato Kitchen has been anything but conventional. Raised in Southern California in a family that loved to cook, Kyle never felt drawn to the kitchen himself. “I liked to eat, that’s for sure, but cooking felt like work, and I didn’t want to work.”
In his twenties, Kyle moved to San Diego and joined the U.S. Navy, where he served for several years. “The military gave me structure—but also showed me how much I value freedom and creativity,” he said. The experience shaped his work ethic and taught him how to thrive under pressure—skills that would later serve him well in the kitchen. When a close friend from his Navy days announced that he was heading to Heber, Utah, to snowboard, Kyle did not hesitate. “I’m coming with you,” he said. That leap brought him to Utah in 2008. “I was twenty-eight and just wanted to be a snowboard bum,” he said, laughing. For two years, he chased powder until a spontaneous morning making breakfast for friends sparked something unexpected. “I really liked the feeling I got when people said they loved what I cooked. It reminded me of the energy I used to feel landing a trick in the terrain park,” he said.
That emotional connection sent him down a new path. Recalling that spark, and inspired by his sister, who has muscular dystrophy and always wanted to cook but could not, Kyle enrolled in culinary school in Draper in 2010. “In a way, I was doing it for her,” he said. “She always wanted to cook, and I could. So, I did.”
Though cooking had not been an early passion, Kyle earned his associate degree three years later in 2013 and immersed himself in the high-end kitchen world for the next seven years. His first experiences were intimidating but thrilling: Forage, the J&G Grill at the St. Regis in Deer Valley, and years as a sushi chef helped him develop serious skills and a respect for the culinary craft. Yet, it was not until a corporate chef position with Bon Appétit (the Compass Group division, not the magazine) that Kyle stumbled onto the item that would change everything: Stromboli.
“I had never even heard of Stromboli,” Kyle admitted. “But we were making them—massive ones—and slicing them up to reheat. I was obsessed with the ends, where the dough gets thick and golden. So simple, but so good.” That memory stuck. Years later, he worked his way up to chef de cuisine at HSL, a downtown restaurant serving American food. Then, he was unexpectedly let go. “It was a turning point. My wife said, ‘This is the time. You’ve always talked about doing your own thing. Now’s your chance.’”
What Kyle envisioned was not just another pizza place. He wanted to take Stromboli—a dish often treated as an afterthought—and reimagine it through a chef’s lens. “Everything is intentional. Every ingredient gets treated with respect,” he said. “There are no afterthoughts here. If something needs crunch, acid, sweetness, or herbs, we build it in.”
Marcato’s name, like its food, is layered with meaning. A musical term meaning “to emphasize,” the word resonated with Kyle, a lifelong musician. “These A’s in the name’s logo are actual marcato symbols. It’s about putting emphasis on the food and doing things with intention.”
The menu reflects his global perspective. There is The Teacher, a tribute to the Italian chef Giuseppe Randazzo who introduced him to Stromboli, featuring mortadella, salami, pepperoni, and mozzarella—elevated with house-made giardiniera, and pickled vegetables for crunch and acidity. Its spicy counterpart, Hot for Teacher, is a nod to Van Halen and to Kyle’s musical roots. Other offerings include Korean-inspired cheesesteak strombolis, Vietnamese-style fillings, and pasta and salad options to round out the fast-casual Italian American street food experience.
Tucked inside Square Kitchen in the Granary District since November 2023, Marcato was not just a food business. It was the culmination of a life spent searching for purpose, passion, and identity. At Square Kitchen, Kyle built a following despite the limitations of a shared commissary space. “There wasn’t much there in terms of ambiance or experience. It was really just the food,” he said. But that food spoke volumes. In addition to in-person pickups, much of Marcato’s reach came through online orders.
The move to Woodbine Food Hall in September of 2025 has changed all that. “It’s a big step up. We have more space, beer and wine, events, and a setting that lets people really enjoy what we’re doing,” Kyle said. “But at the end of the day, you still have to hustle. Marketing matters. Woodbine gives us a platform, but it’s up to me to get people in the door.”
Kyle runs Marcato solo—no business partners, no financial backers. “I wear all the hats,” he said. “That’s been the hardest part—trying to keep the quality high, source locally when I can, and still grow the business.” He is clear about his values: integrity, quality, and service. “Integrity’s one of my top three values. Doing the right thing when no one’s watching. That matters in cooking. That’s how you treat food, how you lead a team, and how you serve your customers.”
Kyle dreams of Marcato becoming a scalable brand, perhaps with multiple locations or even a brick-and-mortar bakery component. “I’ve got the recipes. I’ve got the systems. This concept is built to grow,” he said. But no matter how big Marcato becomes, it will always remain personal. “This is a service industry. We’re here to serve. And at Marcato, that will never change.”
