From retiree to restaurateur: Ralph Cuda brings flavors of Italy to Eureka

For the past 17 years, the annual Christmas Concert at Eureka Elementary School has been the highlight of the holiday season. 

Dressed to the nines in their favorite festive wear, the children proudly showcase the songs and instrumentals they have been practicing in music class since the school year began. In a recital that typically draws a capacity crowd, often with standing room only, Ralph Cuda and his students combine the spirit of Christmas with the joyful camaraderie that the Eureka townspeople are known for. 

“Eureka County Christmas,” a longtime concert staple written by Michael Mears and Richard Elloyan and performed by Mears, consistently serves as the evening’s final performance. The song’s familiar lyrics are sung in unison by all, allowing the joy and spirit of the season to linger well beyond the evening’s celebration.

Another celebration of sorts occurred at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Ralph Cuda, a revered K-12 music teacher, retired from the Eureka County School District after 29 years of teaching music education. Cuda began his teaching career in Leadville, Colorado, where he also ran a music store and conducted an orchestra. He then went on to conduct various groups in Flagstaff, Arizona; Vandenberg, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, before settling in Eureka in 2008. 

Cuda grew up in Prescott, Arizona. After high school, he joined the United States Navy, operating nuclear reactors as a nuclear machinist mate for six years onboard the USS Enterprise. Upon his honorable discharge from the Navy, he used his GI Bill to attend Northern Arizona University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance and music education. He also holds a master’s degree in English literature from Walden University. He has two children. His son, Rowan, is 21 and an accountant for his mom’s accounting firm in Las Vegas. His daughter, Ivy, is 19 and attends the University of Denver, where she is pursuing dual degrees in flute performance and English education.

“I have wanted to open a restaurant for many years,” said Cuda. He found a 150-year-old building on Main Street in Eureka five years ago and purchased it. He has slowly been restoring it as money and time permit. He has been creating recipes and menus with Ivy for the past 10 years, featuring traditional southern-Italian cuisine. Both of his parents were born in Italy. They immigrated to the United States and became legal, naturalized citizens. Many of the recipes he plans to include in the menu are from his mom, Mary Cuda, and his grandparents. Potential items include various antipasti, Sicilian-style pizza, lasagna, homemade pasta noodles and traditional desserts such as pizzelle cookies and cannoli. Cuda is also an accomplished vintner, or winemaker. His vintage selections are sure to pair well with many of the menu items. 

“Now that I am retired, I can dedicate more time to restoring the building and preparing to open,” he said. 

He anticipates this to be early 2026. 

An excerpt from “Eureka County Christmas” reads, “Small towns have the biggest hearts. We’re all just family.” Ralph Cuda has brought families together in harmony and celebration during the holiday season for many years. While his absence will be deeply felt in the local schools, Cuda’s Restaurant & Winery is poised to carry on the cherished tradition, uniting the community around a new table, where memories and flavors are shared.