Elenas - A Delicious History!
In 1989, Elena Houlihan started her company, Houlihan's Culinary Traditions Ltd., DBA Elena's®. With a background in marketing as well as being a notable cook, Elena produced specialty food products for upscale and boutique markets.
As a small child, raised in an Italian family, Elena learned to cook from sight, smell and feel. This is authentic to old world Roman cooks.
Her mother, grandmother and several aunts were the teachers that created and shaped these wonderful techniques and recipes Elena has brought to the market for the last 15 years.
Elena's® specialty foods have consisted of the finest ingredients from imported Italian olive oil to vine ripened plum tomatoes. Each recipe has been created by Elena, blending ingredients with just the right amount of herbs and spices that she is known for.
In 1990, Elena introduced her Elena's® Bread Dipping Sauce as well as Elena's® Herbed Olive Oil Pasta Sauces. These innovative specialties have been leading in the gourmet food market and are for consumers with discerning tastes. She has since brought to the market over 100 other gourmet food products such as pasta sauces, flavored pastas, bread dipping olive oils, vinegar's and hors d' oeuvres.
Elena's® products can be found nationally in department stores, specialty food stores, upscale markets, produce and farmers markets.
With national recognition, Elena's remains completely family-oriented
In past years, the NASFT, National Association of Specialty Food Traders, recognized Elena's® as a finalist in three categories, Outstanding Pasta, Outstanding Pasta Sauce and Outstanding Product Line. In 1994, Bon Appetite Magazine chose Elena's® Pasta as product of the year. In 2000, Gourmet Magazine and their chef's preferred Elena's® Calamari Angel Hair for one of their recipes, stating that "we like Elena's® Calamari pasta because its delicate flavor hints at the sea and it's thin enough to fry up crisp..."
In 1999, Elena started her own cooking school in upstate New York. After restoring a 3 story tudor home in the finger lakes region, she renovated the lower level into a refined kitchen for her guests to discover premium Italian cooking. Elena offers 2 day classes sharing with her students her old world cooking techniques, guest chefs and wine tastings from local vineyards.
Elena's® has always been a family business. Elena, with an extensive marketing background, created a niche in the gourmet food market with wonderful Italian products. Encouraging the involvement from her five children, Elena has gained help in areas of computers to transportation & logistics to legal agreements Elena's® children have been instrumental in her company's growth. Her two youngest children have worked full time with the business for 10 years holding vice president roles. Elena works side by side with John and Caroline, growing a cottage business into a leading manufacturer of gourmet food stores.
