Cannolis, Pasta, Family, and Capone! I interviewed Chef Matthew Cutolo at Gargiulos Restaurant on Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY about all of these things, and more!
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A restaurant that opened in 1907 has seen Coney Island rise, dip, and roar back and it’s still serving plates that taste like someone’s Sunday. I’m joined by Chef Matthew Cutolo from Brooklyn’s legendary Gargiulo’s Restaurant, and we get into what it really takes to carry a family food legacy forward without turning it into a museum piece. He shares why they purposely take a short break in early July when Coney Island turns into a full-on madhouse, and how that rhythm keeps both staff and regulars coming back year after year.
We talk through the restaurant’s real timeline, from the original founding to the family purchase in 1965, the huge New York Times moment in 1977, and the catering hall expansion in 1983. Matthew also explains how the Russo family runs the place today with clear roles across the kitchen, dining room, events, marketing, and the numbers, plus the simple tradition that anchors it all: showing up together, every day, like family does.
Then we go straight to the food. Matthew breaks down their signature Pene Pasqualina, why some recipes should barely change, and what “authentic” means when you’re talking Italian food vs Italian American food. We get into chicken parmigiana, his favorite comfort meal at home (yes, Sunday sauce), and the cannoli craft he learned the old-school way: watching, tasting, and nailing the balance between crisp shell and creamy filling. You’ll even get a practical octopus fix, including the key boil step (about 45 to 50 minutes) before grilling.
If you love NYC food history, Brooklyn Italian restaurants, or you just want restaurant wisdom you can use at home, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a fellow food lover, and leave a review so more people can find the show.
CHECK OUT CHEF MATTHEW AND GARJIULOS RESTAURANT
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