Christian Petroni Instagram – this man is most likely the reason I am a chef today
His name is DOMINICK PATALANO
An immigrant from the island of ponza chef patalano became a very well respected chef in America.
He helped so many young chefs get into to the
culinary institute of America
by writing recommendations that where like gold.
A lot of PONZESE immigrants have done amazing things when arriving to this new world,
but the pride we all had for Dominick being our cultures representation here in THE BRONX here in NYC was like nothing else I can really compare to.
He opened the legendary MAESTROS catering hall off Morris Park in the Bronx.
It felt like a palace.
My father Lorenzo who was a union carpenter had a side gig providing fruits & vegetables to his pizons from ponza that opened up restaurants from the Bronx up to Fairfield county.
After school we always helped our pop unload his weekly maestros delivery of berries, broccoli rabe, peeled garlic, cantaloupe & honeydew melons (more in my dads fruit route & hunts point coming soon)
I can still see chef patalano sitting on a stool,
his yellow tinted shooting glasses on
in the far corner of his kitchen overseeing dozens of cooks in his industrial wedding factory catering hall kitchen.
Looking back now, I can see where my early inspiration to be a chef came from. It’s obvious.
A well respected chef from our little island in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
A Bronx legend.
Chef Dominico Patalano đź’› | Posted on 14/Apr/2024 20:16:42
