Chef Vincent Dardanello of Amunì in Bay Ridge grew up in the predominantly Italian American community of West Caldwell, New Jersey. His extended family of Sicilian descent was so large that they practically constituted an enclave unto themselves. On any given Sunday, as many as 40 relatives would pass through for Sunday lunch at Dardanello’s grandparent’s house.

It was this experience, more than anything else, that inspired Dardanello to attend culinary school after a year of college. After graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, he earned a scholarship to study in northern Italy at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners in the Piedmont region.