Mario started in the restaurant business when he was just a young boy. His father Giovanni was born in Bari and owned a successful restaurant called Caffe Mille Luci on 18th Avenue and 72nd Street in Brooklyn for 28 years. Mario learned a lot from his father during his childhood and as he grew older, developed a desire to learn even about the business. After attending a 2-year college and completing a 9-month culinary program at the New York Restaurant in Manhattan, Mario felt he needed more experience. Deciding to specialize in his family's native Southern Italian cuisine, he relocated to Italy. Using the Michelin Guide, he traveled through Southern, Central, and Northern Italy and worked in the kitchens of the best restaurants...for free! All he requested was a place to sleep at night. He knew learning from the masters was the best way to accomplish greatness, and he spent more than a year on his culinary expedition. It turns out that working for free has paid off for Mario. After stints at landmark Manhattan restaurants like Cipriani and the Rainbow Room, he eventually worked his way back to Staten Island. Mario is the executive chef and co-owner of Nove Italian Bistro.