You came from the Bronx to St. Louis – have you had to dial down your East Coast gruffness for our Midwestern politeness? I am the type of person that spouts the first thing that comes to mind and I’ve had to learn to watch what I say. Not everybody really wants to hear it.
Do you play music in the kitchen? Yes, we play everything from jazz to hip-hop to R&B to country. Everybody gets a day to listen to what they want to listen to. The Mexican guys like mariachi and salsa, and I like those, too.
What do you think about while you’re tossing and stretching pizza dough? Everybody says what they feel like they have to say to each other when we’re rolling out the dough – it’s kitchen therapy. It can get pretty vulgar. Sally, our pastry chef, is just this down-to-earth girl, and all the rest of us are boys. She’s a good sport.
Is there something special or unusual on the Onesto menu right now, that will make people say, “Wow?” There’s something on it right now that brings me back to my childhood: my mom’s braciola. It’s flank steak stuffed with coppa, eggs, fresh breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic and Parmesan cheese, and [it’s] braised in tomato purée with a little bit of onion, basil and garlic. I ate this most of my life and took it for granted – it’s a simple, incredible, rustic thing. I gave some to my brother the other day and he said, “Did Mom send this [to] you?” So I know I did it right. You’re gonna see a large influence from this kind of rustic Italian cuisine I grew up with in my new restaurant.
How does it feel when the kitchen is really humming and everything’s coming out great? I’m just waiting for something to go wrong. (Laughs) I’m double- and triple-checking everything.
What food did you hate when you were a kid that you love now? Lentils.
For the rest of this interview, pick up the November issue of Sauce.
This article appears in Nov 1-30, 2010.