My journey in the kitchen started when I was just eleven years old, working at my father’s pizzeria in Garfield, New Jersey. I began by answering phones and taking orders, but as soon as I was tall enough to reach the ovens, I was making pizzas with my own hands. That shop became my training ground — and eventually, I was running it myself until I got married and moved on. The values I learned there — hard work, hospitality, and tradition — have stayed with me ever since.

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Throughout my career, I’ve worked in just about every corner of the food industry — from line cook at Rustler’s Steakhouse and IHOP, to general manager and bar/kitchen/front-of-house manager in full-service restaurants. I studied Hotel and Restaurant Management at Bergen Community College, and every step along the way helped shape who I am as a chef and as a host.

I also spent several years working as a chef for Gourmet Dining and CulinArt Group, both part of the larger Compass Group family. During that time, I cooked in a variety of unique environments — including a corporate facility that produced medical equipment, a pharmaceutical company, and a private school. These experiences gave me a deep appreciation for the importance of adaptability, consistency, and quality in every setting.

But no matter the role or setting, one thing has always remained true: my love for food, tradition, and bringing people together.

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That love started early — not just in restaurants or on the job, but right at home. I learned how to cook many traditional Italian and Sicilian recipes from my mother and grandfather, who were both incredible cooks. It was in their kitchens, watching them prepare meals with love, care, and tradition, that my passion for cooking truly began.

I also remember watching an Italian cooking show called Louisa on the Italian channel when I was about nine or ten. I would write to the show and send away for many recipes, and they’d mail them back to me on index cards. The very first dish I ever made was stuffed onions — something my mother still remembers with a smile to this day. Not many kids were doing that at ten years old — but I couldn’t get enough of it.

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In recent years, I survived a heart attack and underwent open-heart surgery with a quadruple bypass. That experience changed everything. It reminded me how precious time is, and how important it is to follow your passion — not someday, but now.

That’s why I started Piatto Di Pasta — because I believe in the power of food to bring people together.
Fresh pasta. Laughter in the kitchen. Rolling dough, sharing stories — this is what I grew up with, and it’s what I want to give back.

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I host cooking experiences all over New Jersey — pasta parties, workshops, birthdays, bachelorette events, team-building, and more. But every single event comes down to one thing: connection. Real people, real food, real moments.

This isn’t just what I do — it’s who I am.
This is my life. This is my passion. And I’m so thankful to the people who’ve supported me — and to those I haven’t cooked with yet: I hope we meet soon.

There’s so much more to come.

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Grazie mille,
Chef Bill
Founder, Piatto Di Pasta