On The Line With... Christian Petroni

Hailing from the Bronx, Food Network star and chef Christian Petroni is a force in the kitchen. Born into the restaurant life from his Italian family, Petroni is now owner of five restaurants himself, where he chefs up some amazing Italian cuisine at FORTINA. As you’ll read in his interview, quarantine hasn’t stopped Chirstian from cooking and fulfilling orders! Read up on how he’s making the best of this time in our latest installment of On The Line With….!

Describe what you do for a living and how you are adjusting to social distancing.

My name is Christian Petroni, I am a chef born of 2 immigrant parents from Italy. I own 5 restaurants all called FORTINA and am on FOOD NETWORK. Heck of a time I would say. COVID-19, in my humble opinion, has changed everything. As restaurateurs, the norm has been totally flipped on its head and we have no idea when or where it will land. So for now we are doing curbside takeout at 3 of our 5 locations. Everything is weird, putting on a mask and gloves multiple times a day before getting out of the car. Disposing of the gloves the right way once back in the car. The sanitizing of the door handles, ignition and anything you may have touched. It’s a process. It’s weird. It sucks. BUT it’s what’s going to stop this so we can start to rebuild our futures. 

How do you typically start your day? What daily rituals are you practicing?

Wake up to my beautiful wife Sheri and 2 incredible nuggets for kids, Beau (2.5) Briar Rose (5 months) we head downstairs where Beau pulls over the custom stool Poppy (Grandpa) made us so he can help dad make coffee for mom. 

Then we usually crack a few eggs and make some soft scrambled eggs, Beau’s fav. I then sit down and start the morning ritual of attempting to catch up on texts (never happens, ask my mom) emails, Instagrams that will paint a picture, vaguely, of what I can be potentially walking into that day, or how I should be prepared. 

What’s your favorite dish to make at home?

Soft scrambled eggs for BeauBeau, WITH American cheese AND I don’t care if anyone has a problem with that! Love American cheese, sorry not sorry.

How are you staying productive while at home? Any useful tips?

I’m trying to challenge myself in any way I can. Whether it’s saying that I’m gonna finish a liter of water by noon or conceptualizing a new concept. Trying my best to push myself. 

What is keeping you grounded/balanced at the moment?

The fact that EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK and this shall pass.

How have you stayed connected to friends and family during this time?

Outside of the obvious things like Instagram. I just went outside and lit my Neapolitan pizza oven. It should be ready by tomorrow, local families and friends (as well as any town workers) will be able to stop as they walk by and pick up a pizza and wave hello to me from about 30 feet away. We are all looking forward to this new aged interaction. I also get to cook pizza, which is like therapy…

What advice would you give to someone who’s struggling in isolation right now? Breathe. Find something, anything that can help you pass the time. Use this opportunity to try mediation, tons of resources anyone can refer to today. Set daily goals. Small ones, big ones. ANYTHING.

Remember this is not forever, as I write this with the news on in the background. If you listen hard enough you can hear tiny tidbits of good news starting to happen more and more. 

What accomplishment are you most proud of while social distancing?

My new love for cooking at home and being able to share it with the people in such an amazing way that only these horrible circumstances could have created. It inspired me to start my own YouTube page where I can cook the stuff I grew up with and have some fun with some new ideas as well. 

Set goals, try to hit them. 

I ALWAYS try to do work to help those less fortunate. This disaster has become an incredible opportunity to help. As I write this I’m delaying my submission of these answers because I had to talk about what I just got back from. Hospitality workers from all over Fairfield county drove up to Fortina Stamford (my restaurant) no questions asked, pop the drunk, we load the trunk up with quarts of wholesome delicious frozen soups made by some of Westchester’s best chefs! as well as bags of pantry items. I could cry. I’ve never felt a feeling like this. Car after car. Cooks, chefs, waiters, dishwashers and honestly anyone is in need. WE DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS.

We will get through this, and as a society we should be very proud of how we all rallied during this shit show. 

What are you most looking forward to once this is over?

Seeing how much this virus will actually change the world, and in what ways.