Gianna Cerbone-Teoli is crazy about fish.
This edition of Seven Questions turns its attention to Gianna Cerbone-Teoli, the chef-owner of Manducatis Rustica in Long Island City. Mamma Gianna, as she is sometimes known, and her parents hail from Southern Italy She brings a sensibility to the restaurant game that's particularly refreshing to this Italian-American boy. Many thanks to Jesse Winter Photography for the use of the above photo. Take it away Gianna . . .
How long have you been a chef and how did you get into it?
I don't consider myself a chef I consider myself a cook. My love for food began at an early age watching my mother and coming from a long line of chefs. My grandfather on my Mom's side was a butcher owned a restaurant. My grandfather on my father's side owned two pastry shops, one in Naples and one in our hometown, Casino. I had no plans on being a chef. I would have rather have been a farmer or gallery owner, but my Mom was in Italy and needed someone to run the kitchen at Manducatis. I think my family was shocked more than anyone that I was able to do the job without blinking . . . So, maybe I am a chef.
What are some of your favorite things to cook?
I love cooking fish. I love everything about fish. The other would be pasta. It's crazy how many things you can do with pasta, You can make anything from rosemary or fennel pappardelle to a squash gnocchi, little pockets filled with gorgonzola and nuts. Not to mention everything you can put on top it with, anything from fresh vegetables, fruits to meat and fish. There's nothing like a good pasta and meatballs on a Sunday.
When you are not busy running the show at Rustica where do you like to eat in Queens?
This is a difficult question being that most of my friends have restaurants in Queens and the other boroughs. It's no big secret that I'm a total Greek food aficionado. I love Agnanti. There's one place I do like to eat . . . and it's at home cooking with my boys.
What's the philosophy of Manducatis Rustica?Most restaurants that open have a philosophy which they began with. I wanted to open a place that had Old World flavors with a modern day philosophy, but I found that I had my own personality in doing business. Most people say, "Oh well your lucky your parents had an established business and there customers come to you.'' But boy were they wrong, my parents customers that I cooked for, for years did not support me. They felt as though I did something wrong by opening up my own place they didn't realize it was my father's influence that actually pushed me to open my own place because my cooking was so diverse. Yeah the meatballs are the same, but that's because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. But I'm able to change my menu and change my philosophy seasonally to base it on what's fresh.
What's up with the V.I.G. at the end of the name? Is that like D.O.P.?
This is just really great play on the big VIG. For those of you who dont know what the big VIG is, it's really the payoff man. This came about when I was opening and I didn't wanna use the name Manducatis, but my mother and father insisted on it because they said you had a lot to do with us building the name it would only be right. But I didn't want to take away a name that they worked so hard at building. Many people have tried to franchise off their name, but I felt almost honored they would have wanted me to carry on the name. Over the years everyone would make a joke about who the big VIG was in the neighborhood. So the day I went apply for my license one of these old Paesans said, "Ma whaddya gonna open up another place? One she's not enough? Whaddya wanna be the big VIG?" So I found humor in it and actually used the V for Vincent, the I for Ida and the G for Gianna, because after all it really is all about my Mommy and Babbo.
Tell me about the Valentine's Day dinner you have planned?
It's all about foods that are aphrodisiacs. I based my whole menu on foods you consume that can have a direct impact on your sex life. I'm gonna have grilled asparagus with prosciutto and papaya. I know, strange in an Italian restaurant. But asparagus has the ability to help reach orgasm in both sexes, and papaya has been known to stimulate woman's hormones. I could really get into details, but it might arouse your readers a little to much, You have to come in to see.
What’s the last thing you ate good, bad, or otherwise?
I make a point of eating everything good. I like to try different things but I have to tell you I had fried calves liver with onions for dinner last night, LOVED it! And the worst thing I've eaten lately and got food poisoning was driving home from Florida and stopped at a famous food chain with the kids. I won't mention any names, but I want to know how the hell can families go eat at these places every night when it's so much easier to go food shopping and give your families something wholesome to eat. You can eat out wholesome but you have to choose where you go, that was an experience and a lesson that I'll never forget.
Manducatis Rustica, 46-33 Vernon Blvd., 718-937-1312
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