Anaheim knows Bruno Serato as the chef-owner of the iconic Anaheim White House, but his impact goes far beyond the dining room. He’s also the founder of Caterina’s Club, a nonprofit that serves meals and supports children and families dealing with food and housing insecurity across Southern California.

Caterina’s Club began in 2005 after Bruno visited the Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim with his mother, Caterina. While there, Caterina noticed a young child eating a bag of chips for dinner (not as a snack, but as his whole meal) because his family couldn’t afford much else. In that moment, she turned to Bruno and asked him to cook up some pasta — something warm and filling so the kids could have a decent meal. That simple, yet immediate response became the blueprint for what Caterina’s Club would grow into.

What began as an improvised pasta dinner for a few hungry kids, many of them living in Anaheim motels, became a weekly routine. As more kids kept showing up, Bruno kept showing up too, and his small dinner line quickly grew into a formal nonprofit with a consistent, organized mission to support the local community.

Today, Caterina’s Club serves over 25,000 fresh, nutritionally balanced meals each week to underprivileged children — more than 11 million meals served so far, and still counting! Caterina’s Club also supports families through housing assistance programs, helping them transition into stable, long-term homes. To date, Caterina’s Club has helped relocate over 280 families.

Bruno’s impact as a local hero is most visible in the parts of Anaheim tourists don’t always see: families living in motels and kids who need reliable support. He started with the most straightforward tool he had, his restaurant’s kitchen, and grew that gesture into a long-term promise to help others. 

These days, Caterina’s Club serves 30 different cities at 150 locations spread throughout Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties. And despite its status as one of Anaheim’s most decorated fine dining restaurants, the Anaheim White House has quietly helped keep Bruno’s mission moving, one tasty bowl of pasta at a time.

We’re beyond proud to spotlight Bruno Serato as our Local Hero this March, and to celebrate the impact Caterina’s Club continues to have on children and families throughout Anaheim and across Southern California.

To learn more about Caterina’s Club, we encourage you to visit their website and find ways to get involved, including donating, volunteering, sponsoring events, and other forms of support.