Nonna Christina from Italy cooks in the kitchen.Photo: Enoteca MariaAfter Joe Scaravella’s grandmother died in 1999, he really missed their traditional Italian family meals together.To bring back these comforts of home, in March of 2007 he created a restaurant in Staten Island, New York, he calledEnoteca Maria, where different Italian grandmothers — or ‘nonnas’ — would cook the meals they served their families for decades.“They’re so full of love, they hug me and they hug the customers,” Scaravella, 67, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.Scaravella then decided he wanted, as he says, to “celebrate every culture,” and added a melting pot of nonnas to his staff. There are now 30 rotating nonnas ages 50 to 91 from Italy and other countries including Japan, Peru and Sri Lanka serving up their native cuisines three nights a week to adoring diners.“They say ‘Oh it was so good,’ " says one Enoteca Maria nonna, May “Dolly” Joseph, 71, from Sri Lanka. “It makes me feel really happy, out of this world.“Nonna Rosa from Peru showcases her meal.Enoteca MariaOpening the restaurant, named in his late mother Maria’s honor, also restored a sense of joy in Scaravella’s life.“I just tried,” he says, “to recreate that part of my life that was gone. This is like therapy for me.“The home-cooked meals these nonna chefs create change daily.On April 9,for example, nonna Adelina from Italy’s dishes included Agnello Arosto — roasted lamb with potatoes in a white wine sauce — and a variety of pastas. Meanwhile, nonna Yumi from Japan cooked miso grilled salmon and a Japanese eggplant dishNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Most of these ladies, their husbands have passed away, the children have grown up and they’ve moved out,” Scaravella says. “They’re packed with culture and they need an outlet. And that’s what we do — we provide that outlet.”
Nonna Christina from Italy cooks in the kitchen.Photo: Enoteca Maria
After Joe Scaravella’s grandmother died in 1999, he really missed their traditional Italian family meals together.To bring back these comforts of home, in March of 2007 he created a restaurant in Staten Island, New York, he calledEnoteca Maria, where different Italian grandmothers — or ‘nonnas’ — would cook the meals they served their families for decades.“They’re so full of love, they hug me and they hug the customers,” Scaravella, 67, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.Scaravella then decided he wanted, as he says, to “celebrate every culture,” and added a melting pot of nonnas to his staff. There are now 30 rotating nonnas ages 50 to 91 from Italy and other countries including Japan, Peru and Sri Lanka serving up their native cuisines three nights a week to adoring diners.“They say ‘Oh it was so good,’ " says one Enoteca Maria nonna, May “Dolly” Joseph, 71, from Sri Lanka. “It makes me feel really happy, out of this world.“Nonna Rosa from Peru showcases her meal.Enoteca MariaOpening the restaurant, named in his late mother Maria’s honor, also restored a sense of joy in Scaravella’s life.“I just tried,” he says, “to recreate that part of my life that was gone. This is like therapy for me.“The home-cooked meals these nonna chefs create change daily.On April 9,for example, nonna Adelina from Italy’s dishes included Agnello Arosto — roasted lamb with potatoes in a white wine sauce — and a variety of pastas. Meanwhile, nonna Yumi from Japan cooked miso grilled salmon and a Japanese eggplant dishNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Most of these ladies, their husbands have passed away, the children have grown up and they’ve moved out,” Scaravella says. “They’re packed with culture and they need an outlet. And that’s what we do — we provide that outlet.”
After Joe Scaravella’s grandmother died in 1999, he really missed their traditional Italian family meals together.
To bring back these comforts of home, in March of 2007 he created a restaurant in Staten Island, New York, he calledEnoteca Maria, where different Italian grandmothers — or ‘nonnas’ — would cook the meals they served their families for decades.
“They’re so full of love, they hug me and they hug the customers,” Scaravella, 67, tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue.
Scaravella then decided he wanted, as he says, to “celebrate every culture,” and added a melting pot of nonnas to his staff. There are now 30 rotating nonnas ages 50 to 91 from Italy and other countries including Japan, Peru and Sri Lanka serving up their native cuisines three nights a week to adoring diners.
“They say ‘Oh it was so good,’ " says one Enoteca Maria nonna, May “Dolly” Joseph, 71, from Sri Lanka. “It makes me feel really happy, out of this world.”
Nonna Rosa from Peru showcases her meal.Enoteca Maria
Opening the restaurant, named in his late mother Maria’s honor, also restored a sense of joy in Scaravella’s life.
“I just tried,” he says, “to recreate that part of my life that was gone. This is like therapy for me.”
The home-cooked meals these nonna chefs create change daily.On April 9,for example, nonna Adelina from Italy’s dishes included Agnello Arosto — roasted lamb with potatoes in a white wine sauce — and a variety of pastas. Meanwhile, nonna Yumi from Japan cooked miso grilled salmon and a Japanese eggplant dish
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Most of these ladies, their husbands have passed away, the children have grown up and they’ve moved out,” Scaravella says. “They’re packed with culture and they need an outlet. And that’s what we do — we provide that outlet.”
source: people.com
