Inspired by the traditional cuisine from Umbria and Rome, Sandro Fioriti, the chef and owner of Sandro’s in New York City, brought childhood memories from overseas to create an authentic Italian restaurant where clientele feel like they’re in a typical Italian trattoria.
Authenticity and quality of ingredients are the two key factors for chef Sandro Fioriti, who started his career at the age of seven in Umbria, where he was born and raised. Sandro went through all the different stages of a kitchen career—from peeling potatoes, washing dishes—to being a sous chef with Franco Carbonari. When the time was ripe, he decided to open his first restaurant called “D’Artagnan”.
In 1985, the famous Italian restaurateur Tony May offered Fioriti the opportunity to open the first Sandro’s in New York. Back then, Sandro started his journey in the United States where— since the beginning – he has distinguished himself as a pioneer of authentic Italian cuisine that comes from traditions of the motherland without compromise.
Sandro Fioriti and his wife Anna
After the closure of his first restaurant in New York, a new Sandro’s opened its doors in 2007 in the Upper East Side. Now, it is run by Sandro himself along with his wife Anna and his son, Sandro Jr.
The restaurant, a favorite of Italian and American celebrities, recalls the atmosphere of a Roman trattoria, where people can not only enjoy the food but also the convivial and relaxed atmosphere of sitting together around a table.
The New York Times has acclaimed your Bucatini all’Amatriciana as the best outside of Italy. While the European Union has required registry of the original recipe, how difficult is it for you to make an authentic dish like this in the United States?
It is all about the authenticity of the ingredients. I am aware of the fact that I don’t respect all the steps and ingredients of the original recipe but I respect the quality of the ingredients. I use Guanciale and Pecorino Romano imported from Italy as well as pancetta (bacon). I also add a touch of wine which may horrify the purists. In order to prepare my Bucatini all’Amatriciana, we use seventeen pans in the kitchen.
Bucatini all'Amatriciana
What makes your restaurant special are some traditional dishes, such as homemade Trippa (tripe) and Porchetta, that you can usually find only in Italy. How did Americans learn to appreciate these dishes over time?
It took a sort of very focused education and information. Today people travel more and they watch many cooking shows. Also, social media spreads information quickly but up until twenty years ago, it was not like that. I remember when I cooked the lamb or the trippa and porchetta for the first time. I did it the way we used to do it at home. Those dishes were not appreciated and they were sent back to the kitchen. Slowly, I told my customers the story of these dishes and educated their palates to new flavors. Today porchetta, trippa and coda alla vaccinara are among the most appreciated dishes. What people really love about my food is the authenticity and respect for tradition. As long as you stick with it, your customers will always be faithful to you.
Sandro Fioriti with Roger Federer
When it comes to the authenticity and tradition of Italian food, you don’t mess around. How do you deal with some specific Italian ingredients [that are] hard to source and supply in the United States?
I have most of my ingredients shipped from Italy, including the Italian basil, pine nuts, and the puntarelle (wild chicory). It goes without being said that olive oil comes from Apulia, the beans from Naples, the truffles from Umbria and the anchovies from Sciacca. Italian cuisine - unlike any other - is mostly based on the ingredients. If you compromise on them, you better give up.
Carciofi alla Giudea
While Italian cuisine is evolving itself in the motherland, it seems that Italian chefs in New York stick more with the classic Italian dishes.
Not all the Italian chefs in New York follow the Italian tradition. Unfortunately, most of them compromise on the ingredients and recipes as well as on the technique. We need to go back to where everything started. To the food of our grandmothers and mothers.
What do you usually prepare for Christmas?
In the last years, I decided to close my restaurant during the holidays and enjoy the food as a guest!