Director of Marketing and Operations, Casa Nuova Italian Restaurant, Alpharetta
By Toby Bloomberg
“The restaurant is my second home,” says Cari Fundora. Cari represents the next generation of hospitality leadership: blending tradition with innovation while maintaining unwavering commitment to staff, guests, and community.
Her parents, Cuban immigrants, opened Casa Nuova in 1998. “I’m first generation, so seeing what they’ve been able to accomplish shaped my career, my personal values, my work ethic, and my love for hospitality,” she reflects.
While in high school, Fundora pioneered the restaurant’s digital presence. “I started our social media and email campaigns before that was really a requirement for businesses,” she says. The restaurant’s online community has grown to over 14,500 loyal fans.
After earning her B.S. in International Affairs from Georgia Tech in 2016, she completed internships at the U.S. Department of State, United Nations Foundation, and British Consulate in Atlanta. Fundora moved to New York City to pursue a career with a global public health non-profit funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
In 2019, she made a life-changing decision to return home to care for her mother who was recovering from a liver transplant and to help lead Casa Nuova. Months later COVID-19 brought new challenges. Cari’s entrepreneurial spirit proved crucial. Innovations she pioneered included take-and-bake family meals, which are now a permanent offering. The restaurant also hosted over 100 virtual wine-dinner events with winemakers from around the world. Under her leadership, Casa Nuova retained its entire staff, strong customer connections, and revenue.
For Cari, hospitality means “love personified.” She views Casa Nuova as a “third space” where guests celebrate milestones and find comfort during difficult times. “We can’t control what happens outside our four walls,” she says, “but we can make sure people feel seen, fed, and cared for” while dining at the restaurant. This perspective shapes her collaborative leadership approach. “We work as an ensemble. No role is too small, whether you’re a greeter, host, bartender, or dishwasher.”
“Cari’s impact goes far beyond the walls of the restaurant,” says Maria Fundora Co-Owner, Casa Nuova. “She has made Casa Nuova a hub of philanthropy in North Fulton County.” The restaurant holds monthly fundraisers supporting local charities. Purple Pansy, a nonprofit her mother founded to raise money for pancreatic cancer research in honor of Cari’s grandmother, is a vital part of the restaurant’s community outreach.
Looking ahead, Cari is open to growth. “In a perfect world, I’d love to open another location,” she says, “but I want to keep what makes us special: our consistency, our values, our connection to guests.” Cari is currently pursuing an MBA at Emory University.
In an industry in constant flux, for Cari hospitality isn’t just a career, it’s her heritage. A child of the restaurant world, she honors the past, embraces the present while shaping a future that stays true to her family’s proud legacy. “She leads by example, empowers those around her, and continues to transform a family-owned restaurant into a regionally recognized institution for excellence, generosity, and resilience,” explains Maria Fundora.
Read More About the Other 2025 Rising Stars
Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Performance Foodservice, and table sponsors, Society Insurance and Savannah Distributing, for making this event possible:
Presenting Sponsor
Table Sponsors
Savannah Distributing and Society Insurance
