Chef View
Chef’s of Italy
By Chris Murphy
Chefs of Italy Goes Big for 2020
If you are craving authentic Italian food, you need to look no further than Chefs of New York. Vinnie Altadonna and his daughter Kim have been serving up amazing flavors for years at their original location on Oakdale Road, and their location at 14th and J Street, has become “the corner” for great food and now it is becoming known also for great music. Chefs of New York has also become a destination for diners from Napa, Sacramento and outside of Modesto at the same time remaining a local favorite.
But first, it is about the food. The word here is “legit”. The Chefs of New York delivers a rich variety of flavors, from chicken, veal, to salmon and some of the most tasty sauces that grace their favorite dishes like their lasagna. The sauces are based on Vinnie’s mom’s recipes. These are 300 year-old recipes, handed down for generations and the sauces and flavors are amazing. I asked Vinnie what he was still the most excited about and he was quick to respond about his lasagna, made from his Mother’s recipe. “My mother, Emilia Galati Altadonna is an amazing chef. She turned 100 years old this 4th of July. Her cooking methods and sauces are what really sets Chefs of New York apart.” The Chicken Piccata is stellar, the Shrimp Scampi is so flavorful, the Veal Marsala is amazing and you can order the marinara sauce options on most entrees and should not to be missed. You can also find lighter options as well with the Tarragon Salmon and Vegetarian Baked Manicotti. But, if you can’t decide, the Lasagna is a winner.
Diners will regularly see Vinnie in and out of the kitchen, greeting diners and making sure everything running well. This is the key reason why his new partner, Clay Rosson invested in the company to help make sure that the restaurants run well, with great consistency while allowing Vinnie to be more involved in the dining rooms. Clay, a local business owner, has long been a fan of the food and now had the free time and the resources to help take Chefs to the next level, offering stability and guidance and a dose of classic rock, blues and jazz. The fact that Chefs of New York occupies a former record store from the 50s and 60s is not lost on Clay and he hopes to create a better link to the music. You can find blues and jazz Thursday through Saturday nights with David Cutler doing both acoustic and small combo sets right inside the front window for all to see. Clay and Vinnie want music to be a big part of the experience and have even added a Sunday Blues Brunch beginning 11 am. And, the breakfast sandwich as a fresh Italian roll and is super delicious.
One of the great things about Chefs of Italy is the dining experience with great servers like Terri Utne who will guid you through the variety of options and make sure you close out with a tasty dessert. We talked about the benefits of delivery via Doordash and Clay and Vinnie were very strategic about this. Vinnie feels that it exposes their restaurant to more people that may want to try their Italian food and they may turn into regulars. So when you are tabbing through your mobile phone, you can order from Chefs of New York.
What about the future? Some of the new things you can expect at the corner of 14th and J Street will be new extended Sunday hours, a new outside patio, possible new upstairs space, and earlier hours for brunch during the week and even maybe some breakfast. Vinnie was quick to add in, “A Hot Dog Cart”! Wow, we agree! Having a good authentic New York style hot dog cart would be fantastic.
So make sure that you always slow down when you get to 14th and J Street, and peek in the windows to see who is playing music, check out your friends that are there waiting for you and the tasty authentic food coming out of the kitchen. You will love the tradition and be excited for the future. Oh yeah, don’t forget the thin crust New York style pizza, so delicious.
Chefs of New York
1325 J Street, Modesto, 95354
209-857-5102
Mon – Thu: 11 – 2 & 5 -9pm Fri till 12 am
Sat 11 am – 12 am & Sunday Blues 11 – 5
Live Entertainment Thursday, Friday & Saturday Evenings and Sunday Brunch
www.facebook.com/pg/Chefs-of-New-York-Downtown-606519112839290/
Order delivery on Doordash and Grubhub
Don’t forget the original location at 2307 Oakdale Road at
Mon – Sun: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Don’t forget the original location at 2307 Oakdale Road at
Mon – Sun: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
