Robert Anthony Matrone

The Chef

PRIMO

Growing up in an Italian/American home, I can remember as a child waking up to the aroma of my mother's sauce and the voice of my Nonna Stella, close by directing her how to cook, telling my mother to always stir the sauce.  My Aunt Thersea & my Nonna Stella by far are the best chefs in the family.  It just comes natural to them!   As I grew in age, my passion for the kitchen grew stronger.  At the age of 19 I began working in my cousin's pizzeria.  It was called "DaVincis" and I realized then, while developing my culinary skills, that cooking also came natural to me.  I knew at this point it was in my blood!

SECONDO

When I returned home from my study abroad program in Rome, Italy I knew I wanted to become a chef and someday open my own restaurant.  My experience in Italy changed my life and opened my eyes and mind to so many different ways of thinking.  I began to pick up the language and saw how passionate the Italains were for life and how they expressed it through the culinary arts.  I thought to myself, how good I felt when I would eat & drink the homemade food & wine, and I knew then that I wanted to develop my culinary skills to make other people feel as good as I did!  I wanted to express myself through the tastes and presentation of amazing food!  When I completed the study abroad program, I returned home to pursue another culinary program at Walt Disney in Orlando, Florida.  I worked at Disney in the MGM Studios at a restaurant named, "Mama Melrose".  While working here I learned large scale food preperation.  I worked on a 12 man line which included a wood fired pizza station, a wood fired grill & a 20 burner sautee'.  This is where I gained the confidence to work in a high volume restaurant!  At the conclusion of this experience my father called and offered me my first business opportunity.  I was 23 when I opened my first restaurant and I was quite nervous.  However the opportunity was to great to pass on!