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It is an exciting time in my career. As the Executive Chef of my own restaurant, getting acknowledged for my passion means the world to me.
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I started cooking as a child with my mother and remember rolling meatballs with my grandmother. Growing up in an Italian family, food was an important part of our lives. Everything changed when my mother remarried my Pakistani stepfather. I was 12 and so vividly remember the introduction of new spices to my pallet. It was at that moment that I fell in love with flavor. My first job was in a kitchen and I haven’t looked back since, because as a chef, I get to play with flavor for a living.
My signature dish has changed numerous times over the years, but the Frankie Marsala is the dish that defines this moment. I first core mushrooms and stuff them with a seasoned grilled chicken and mushroom mix. It is then baked and placed over a bed of creamy risotto, topped with Marsala sauce and Parmesan. I once had a customer tell me she hadn't craved a man other than her husband in thirteen years, until she met Frankie-“he's a sexy dish!”
First, I would invest some of the $20,000 into my restaurant, Got a Guy Eatery. I would purchase some much needed equipment like a fryer (yes, I still use a pot on the stove) and a grill for the kitchen. This would help to streamline dinner service tremendously. The rest would go towards getting a reliable vehicle. With a 40 minute commute to my restaurant every day, reliability is a necessity.
