Our Story
NO SHORTCUTS. NO COMPROMISES. JUST REAL SALAMI.
Gastros was founded by two chefs who believed real food should be made the right way — with skill, patience, and respect for tradition.
From a Food Truck to a Salami Company
More than a decade ago, Owen and Travis started serving food from a small truck in Rhode Island. Cold mornings, long nights, and relentless attention to quality defined those early days. That food truck earned features in The Providence Journal and built a loyal following.
But they kept running into the same problem: they couldn't find salami that met their standards.
Everything tasted rushed. Industrial. One-dimensional.
So they did what chefs do when something doesn't exist yet — they made it themselves.
What started as a truck has grown into a USDA-inspected salami operation, but the mindset has never changed.
How We Make It
For over a decade, we've crafted small-batch, naturally fermented salami through a traditional multi-week dry-curing process, using pasture-raised heritage Berkshire pork sourced from small American family farms.
No GMOs. No antibiotics. No fillers. No shortcuts.
Just honest ingredients and old-world technique.
Built Like the Big Guys. Crafted Like the Old Days.
We use the same professional drying and curing equipment as national brands. That's where the similarity ends.
Every salami stick we make is cut, seasoned, stuffed, tied, and hung by hand. It's slower. It's harder. It costs more.
But the result speaks for itself: bold flavor, balanced texture, and salami made with integrity from start to finish.
This is the way families across the U.S., Italy, and the Balkans have made salami for generations — brought into a modern, controlled environment without sacrificing tradition.
Old-world technique. Modern standards. Real integrity.
Our Six Standards
These aren't marketing claims. These are the non-negotiables behind every salami we make.
🐖 Pasture-Raised Berkshire Pork
Heritage Berkshire pork raised outdoors on small American farms. Rich marbling, deep flavor, humane practices — never feedlots.
💊 No Antibiotics
Our pork is never treated with antibiotics or growth hormones. Just healthy animals raised the right way.
🌱 No GMO Ingredients
We don't use genetically modified ingredients. Ever. From meat to seasoning, everything meets our clean sourcing standards.
⏳ Traditional Dry-Curing
Our salami is dry-cured through a slow, multi-week process. Time does the work — not shortcuts or accelerants.
🦠 Natural Fermentation
We rely on natural fermentation to develop flavor, preserve the salami, and create the texture that defines true artisan curing.
🚫 No Artificial Nitrates or Nitrites
We never use synthetic nitrates or nitrites. Our salami is cured naturally using celery salt, fermentation, and time — nothing artificial.
Nothing to Hide
No fillers. No additives. No mystery meat.
Just pure salami made the right way, with honesty you can taste in every bite.
Every batch is made by hand in our USDA-inspected facility — ensuring consistent quality, food safety, and care from start to finish.
From Rhode Island to Nationwide
Today, Gastros salami is enjoyed coast to coast through our online shop, by chefs, specialty retailers, butcher shops, and people who know what real food is supposed to taste like.
We're not trying to reinvent salami. We're simply committed to doing it the right way.