La Famiglia Duca
The Roots
It all started at the turn of the twentieth century when Pietro Nicholi Duca, a young man from Messina, Sicily, left on a ship set to sail for America. On the boat, he met his future bride, Maria Josephina Genovese of Villa Rosa, Sicily, and, after the wedding, they settled in the promising industrial town of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Pietro, not at all phased by the challenges of starting anew in a foreign land, established himself as a prominent businessman, owning and operating several grocery stores and apartments across town to help him provide for his growing family. Unfortunately, after having endured the infamous Johnstown flood and losing much of his property through the Great Depression, Pietro passed in the late 1930’s, leaving behind his wife and eight children. All of Pietro’s children would do their part to carry on his legacy and keep the family strong, but it is the youngest of Pietro’s children, Robert Anthony Duca, who brings us to where we are today. Robert would go on to earn his doctorate as a linguist, most famously mastering his father's Sicilian tongue, one of the many things he did to preserve his family's proud heritage. Two generations later, he would pass that same passion on to his unsuspecting grandson, Daniel Duca, who was soon to discover the wonderful world of Sicilian spirits, and his place in it.
The Journey
Daniel's journey began in 2021 after returning from his studies in Rome. While there, he was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to visit his family still living in Sicily and to walk the land that his great grandfather had once lived. Not in an Italian restaurant did he earn his stripes, but as a bartender at O'Brien's Irish Pub, learning very quickly that, despite his extensive experience drinking, he knew nothing of the craft. Under the guidance of Jerry and Amanda O'Brien, he climbed his way from the pit of incompetency into the hearth of proficiency. Whilst still in college, he sharpened his skills as an event bartender for Downtown Catering, becoming one of their lead barmen while learning the world of event bartending inside and out. After graduating with his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 2022, Daniel took up a position bartending at the Pursuit Wine Bar and Kitchen in Washington, DC, where he would be promoted to head bartender in only his second month. He spent his next year in Washington before returning to his hometown of Warrenton, Virginia and founding Duca Bar Company in 2023. Following his return, alongside his private event bookings, Daniel bartended for The Inn at Little Washington, one of only 146 restaurants in the world to earn a Three Michelin Star rating, the highest award a restaurant can achieve, with only 13 operating in the United States. It is with this heightened experience and excellence that Daniel brings to life each and every cocktail he puts forth for his guests, all of which he holds in the highest esteem.
The Philosophy
Excellence. At its core, it's about excellence. The desire to create something for guests that he knows only he can deliver and to provide them with an experience only he can offer drives Daniel to push beyond any sort of expectation and into new heights.
Yes, it sounds grandiose because it is.
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The rich inheritance of Sicilian hospitality inspires much of his style and service while his elite training and discipline provide the foundation for his creativity to flourish. His holistic approach to each unique event focuses on providing a complete experience that extends beyond just serving drinks. That being said, the detail and precision that goes into the crafting of his cocktails never fails to impress the palate.
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Still, beyond all that, its about relationships, one person offering his talents to another. He brings the passion and tradition built on generations of doing just that for every guest he has the blessing to serve. And he does so, with an eye always to excellence.
Daniel Duca
Founder and Head Bartender
