Marc Forgione – FORGE

Marc Forgione is a good friend of our family. He went to college with my brother Mike and after graduating Marc, my brother and a few other buddies backpacked through Europe (Edgar, Lou, Steve and Jay.) I had to include all their names or I would have gotten an email or 2! They had a memorable few days in Bologna sleeping on my couch and floor and a very interesting experience at the Pronto Soccorco that involved a few stitches for Steve, they also made a stop at my Aunt’s place in Lucerne and another stop in Calabria to visit my grandparents.

Back to Marc: Marc is a top chef in New York City and was most recently the executive chef for the BLT Restaurant Group. He is opening a new restaurant next week called FORGE located at 134 Reade Street in NYC. I’ll post the menu once Marc gives me the ok, which includes a special item direct from my grandparents’ farm in Calabria!

If you’re in the city anytime soon, make sure to stop by FORGE…. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Here’s Marc and his father Larry Forgione (If you know anything about chefs and restaurants, you might recognize the name) on the Today Show yesterday with Ann Curry. What are they making? Pizza Rustica! My brother the home-chef already chimed in that he should brush some butter on the top to give it a golden brown finish. I’m wondering how he was allowed to make it outside of Easter?? I thought that was against the rules. However, I love the idea! Why limit it to once a year?

P.S. -Does anyone recognize the name Forgione outside of chefs and cooking? ring a bell? A southern Italian saint maybe? that’s right, Padre Pio’s birth name was Francesco Forgione and he happens to be Marc’s great great Uncle.