Born and raised in the close-knit Italian town of Johnston, Rhode Island, Cathy Paliotta grew up surrounded by the warmth of family, food, and tradition. Every Sunday after church, the kitchen filled with the rich aroma of her mom Cheryl’s famous “gravy” — a slow-simmered pasta sauce that drew friends and family to the table week after week. It wasn’t just a meal; it was a ritual. Her mom not only taught her the craft of cooking but also the deeper meaning behind it: that food made with love brings people together. Cathy’s passion for Italian cooking was ignited early, but it truly took off in 2003, while working at Dave Ramsey’s company (then The Lampo Group). With Dave’s encouragement, Cathy began selling her homemade sauce to coworkers. In just six weeks, she sold over 1,000 quarts, using the profits to pay off nearly $8,000 in debt — proof that her sauce had something truly special. In June of 2020, Cathy officially launched Cucina di Catherina’s Italian “Gravy” Pasta Sauce. Since then, she has sold nearly 20,000 jars, participated in farmers markets across Florida, Rhode Island, and Tennessee, and been featured on The Rhode Show, “In the Kitchen” on WPRI Channel 12, and at the Home Show & Women’s Expo in Providence, RI — where she served her sauce to more than 500 people. In April of 2025, Cathy suffered the heartbreaking loss of her beloved mom, Cheryl — the woman who inspired it all. Today, Cathy continues to honor her mother’s legacy one jar at a time, with the mission of bringing love to families across America through the same Sunday traditions that shaped her own life. Currently, Cathy is expanding retail distribution across New England and the Southern U.S., determined to share her family’s story — and her mother’s love — with tables everywhere.