In a place as vast and gastronomical as New York City, an instant sense of family and comfort is like finding a diamond in the rough. Chef Pietro Mosconi’s two family’s restaurants, Monte’s Trattoria and Villa Mosconi are exactly that. He is the “Nonno” that we all need when we go out to eat, still emerging from his New York City kitchens greeting guests with his famous hugs, a warm “buona sera” and an eye-twinkling smile. After four years in the making, his daughter, Joanne Mosconi, has published a new book, The Chef of Greenwich Village, with all of the chef’s secrets and most prized recipes, a is a true love letter to the Chef from his daughter.
How did you get the nickname “The Chef’s Daughter?”
I can still remember sitting in one of my family’s restaurants as a young child and waiting excitedly for my father to make his dining room entrance, after a long night in the kitchen, just to bring me a bowl of Tortellini in Brodo. During these moments, I would hear the faint voices of customers pointing me out and saying to one another, “That’s the chef’s daughter! The name stuck and has become a huge part of my identity!
What was it like being “The Chef’s Daughter” growing up?
My father was like a movie star to me! I always knew that he was so much more than just a successful chef and restaurateur. It was difficult not having him home with us, other than on Sundays (his day off) during my childhood. I remember soaking up every little moment I had with him, even if it was just an hour. The most magical times we shared were when I was alongside him in the kitchen and assisting him when we had dinner parties. I learned from a very young age that dinner parties were like a show, and I still treat them as such to this day!
How did your family remain strong while your father built his restaurant empire?
Being a chef is the ultimate sacrifice. Birthdays and holidays were missed, and everything revolved around the restaurants. Although it wasn’t always easy being without our dad, my mother, Joan Mosconi, held down the fort at home and made it look easy. She is a school teacher and placed a strong emphasis on education and our studies. Today, an impressive forty-two years later, both restaurants continue to thrive and my parents are still together.
Were you interested in pursuing a career in hospitality or at your family’s restaurants?
The restaurant business is in my blood and in some ways, it is all I have ever known. So much of my identity revolves around food, entertaining and of course living as an unstoppable, persistent and passionate Italian New Yorker- just like my father. However, I had another burning passion inside of me called The Theater. I started out as a theater teacher, and then quickly changed gears towards pursuing my own career in acting, directing, playwriting and eventually producing theater. In 2007, I made a huge move to Los Angeles, which was when my theater career took off! I went on to run my own children’s theater called The Magic Mirror Theater. I even had a few of my hit plays run Off Broadway at The Player’s Theater on Macdougal Street in New York, just steps away from Monte’s Trattoria!
What made you decide to write this cookbook?
My father had a heart attack in 2015 and it was life altering, not only for him but for our entire family. It was a serious wakeup call that pulled me back to NYC part-time and sparked my motivation to finally focus on creating this book to celebrate my father. I was haunted by the notion that if I didn’t write the book now, I could lose him and would always regret it. My book was written to radiate his strength, stubbornness, passion, commitment, dedication, and excitement to keep creating in an ever-changing culinary world.
What was the process like?
Ha! Exhausting and longer than I expected! Chef Pietro said to me at the beginning of our process: “Non dici loro tutto!” meaning, “Don’t tell them everything!” I had spent a large part of the journey arguing and pleading with him to share his recipes with me, but he was only interested in showing me. It was at this point, after chasing him around his restaurants with a notepad that I knew I had my work cut out for me. I enrolled at The International Culinary Center and received a professional culinary degree, which better prepared me to learn my father’s techniques, recreate his flavors and prepare his remarkable dishes.
What are a few of your favorite recipes in the book?
That’s a hard question! I love all of my father’s dishes but if I had to choose one, it would be his lasagna. I prepare a lot of fish dishes at home, so the Red Snapper Livornese and his Linguine Vongole recipes are also at the top of my list. His Tiramisù and Ricotta Cheesecake are pretty special too!
What kind of impact has the book had on you, your father, and the restaurants?
It is no understatement to say that this book contains my heart. The whole process has made me fall more in love with Italy and my Italian-American heritage and has brought my family together in a way that I never could have imagined. Even my young nephews are in the kitchen cooking with their Nonno! Most importantly, this cookbook has given my father more energy than ever before and a new sense of purpose in sharing his prized recipes and techniques.
What’s next?
I’m still teaching and directing actors and am working on my next cookbook called “Malibu Italian.” Inspired by my dinner parties, it will be comprised of my dad’s recipes with a lighter, Malibu-friendly twist. My biggest goal of all though is to have my own cooking show alongside my legendary father, Chef Pietro Mosconi. They don’t make chefs like him anymore and I need to extend his presence into the world further.