The Culinarians: Three Bridges Clean, Fresh, and Healthy Ravioli from California
Three Bridges is a fresh pasta business based in Benicia, California, not far from San Francisco and the Wine Country. The firm creates sauces from local ingredients, but is becoming more and more known for its range of filled pastas such as tortellini, ravioli, and even ziti.
Their flavors are classic yet modern, and appeal to the hungry consumer with combinations such as Spinach & Cheese Ravioli, Italian Sausage Ravioli, Lobster Ravioli, Triple Cheese Tortellini, and Grilled White Chicken and Prosciutto Ravioli.
Most products can also claim to be healthy and sustainable, and stand on these four pillars of quality:
- No Preservatives
- No Antibiotics
- No Hormones
- Nothing Artificial
As part of our series, The Culinarians, we interview the founders of Three Bridges .
Why ravioli versus another pasta, like perhaps tortellini?
We love all pasta, no matter the form. Ravioli, tortellini, linguini…we want to eat them ALL!
Ravioli is truly wonderful, and we can’t get enough of them! Our Ravioli allows for greater filling per bite, and we are all about the filling! We pride ourselves in having the highest percentage of creamy and moist filling with large chunks of pieces you can taste like 1/2” diced chicken, 3/4” roasted mushrooms, and 2” of chopped spinach.
How did you decide on which cheeses to use with which fillings?
We begin with the traditional combinations of flavors, then develop and choose the cheeses that will best complement the flavors of our filling. We spend time with our partners working to choose the versions with the right flavors, texture and mouth feel that will allow the different elements of the filling – cheeses, protein, vegetables, and seasonings – to all play together, without overpowering one another.
For example, the traditional pairing of Mozzarella with Chicken creates a wonderfully complementary taste, as does the Parmesan cheese with Mushroom, and the combination of flavors of the Ricotta with our Italian Sausage. 
Where do you source your ingredients, are they local to your base?
We source our ingredients from the highest quality producers. It is through this level of quality that we believe our products taste better, are more healthful and have the nutritional value that our customers search for – i.e. high protein, low sugar and salt, and rich in vitamins and minerals. We chose partners who could supply hormone free dairy products (rBST-free) and antibiotic free meats (ABF) to offer the cleanest labels.
Many ingredients come from right here in California. We strive to keep as much of our operation close to home as possible. This way we can ensure that every package of our pasta is made using the highest possible quality ingredients and standards. Our customers have come to expect this from our products, and we expect it from ourselves.
How did you develop the texture of the ravioli?
Through time and patience. We look to ensure that both texture and flavor of the dough is just as delicious as the filling inside. For the dough we use the highest quality Durum wheat, amber gold in color and high in protein. For the filling we mix in small batches, ensuring a gentle mix that keeps the identity of each ingredient and the filling creamy. This way the dough and filling must play off one another to create a symphony of flavors.
The chicken ravioli was tasty. It had an interesting yet pleasant mouthfeel. Is there any history behind that?
Our Chicken and Mozzarella Ravioli is made with large chunks of seasoned grilled chicken, fresh creamy Mozzarella and a perfected blend of herbs and spices. We are proud of this heritage item as it was one of our first ravioli, developed over 20 years ago. It took over 150 tests to get the flavors just right, and we strive to keep optimum flavor, while delivering the highest quality product.
Our proprietary chef-crafted ravioli process is one of a kind in America. It enables us to hand –craft ravioli filled with large chunks of tender and juicy chicken and creamy and stringy cheese. Our dough is soft and tender, which balances the richness of our fillings. This gives each of our ravioli a superior flavor and a more pleasant mouthfeel that you taste with each bite. It’s real food inside, in which we want everyone to be able to see and taste the quality.
Are any of these recipes from personal experience or family history?
Our recipes reflect the best of our personal experiences. The family has been involved in fresh pasta business since the 1980’s. We were the first fresh-cut pasta to be distributed through retail markets in the Bay Area. The innovative way in which we made and packaged the fresh pasta made that possible.
That innovation moved into filled pasta in the 1990’s. Creating simple, honest and better fresh pasta that we wanted people to be proud to serve their families. Our grandma’s cupboard philosophy of using ingredients that everyone knows. This innovative approach over 25 years ago speaks loudly today with our ABF meats, rBST free dairy/cheeses, and organic vegetable sourced directly from the farms.
We [strive to] deliver honest ingredient statements that are better for you with great nutritional fact panels. We strive for the highest protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals possible. All while keeping minimal sodium and no added sugars.
What has been the hardest thing you’ve found in supporting this product line?
We consider our fresh pasta the best you can find in any retail market. That quality comes at a cost that we strive to keep competitive. While we know we are not the cheapest fresh pasta available for our customers, we deliver the best experience, value and nutrition benefit that we want all consumers to know and appreciate. We know that when we get them to taste our fresh pasta, they can become our customer and fan for life.
