Inside Enoteca Maria, Where Latina Abuelas Are the Real Celebrity Chefs
On select weekends, Enoteca Maria’s open kitchen in Staten Island transforms into a stage for Rosa, a Peruvian grandmother whose hands move with practiced ease. With her carefully selected ingredients, a hot pan, and recipes passed down through generations, she crafts meals that showcase the rich history of her culture.
“I feel so happy cooking at Enoteca Maria,” Rosa says. “It is a chance to share the food of my country.” She learned to cook from her mother, and now, her children carry those flavors forward. “Ceviche and lomo saltado are my two favorite dishes,” she tells FIERCE.
How Enoteca Maria is Celebrating Every Culture Through Grandmothers
In the wake of profound personal loss, Jody Scaravella found solace in an idea that would ultimately give rise to Enoteca Maria. After the deaths of his mother and grandmother, he yearned for a way to honor the women who had shaped him. The concept he birthed was a rotating roster of grandmothers from around the world, each cooking traditional meals from her homeland. This unique factor became the heart of the restaurant.
When asked about the emphasis on Latina grandmothers, Scaravella explains, “We just wanted to represent every country. Our mission has always been to showcase the beauty and richness of each grandmother’s heritage.”
Though the restaurant’s inclusive ethos highlights all cultures, the response to the Latina grandmothers has been particularly impactful. “There is a large Latin American population here,” he says. “Whenever a woman from Peru or another Latin country cooks, we see an outpouring of support on social media. A lot of our customers share similar backgrounds, and they love it.”
Creating Community
At Enoteca Maria, the grandmothers do more than cook. They connect with customers. “It is an open kitchen, so they are in the same room as the diners,” Scaravella explains. “When they are not busy in the kitchen, they step out and chat with customers, checking how they like the food. That is when the real magic happens. A customer might discover they share a common ancestry, and the conversation just flows.”
For Rosa, these moments are treasured. “The customers feel like family,” she says. “We laugh, we hug, and sometimes, they even clap for me.”
Staying Authentic Across Cultures
Enoteca Maria thrives on its ever-changing menus, where cuisines shift daily from Japanese to Italian, Peruvian, and beyond. “That’s the challenging part of what we do,” Scaravella admits. “Every day, the ingredients and cooking styles change. It is a lot of moving parts, but that’s also what makes it beautiful.”
He emphasizes that the grandmothers are trusted to bring their authentic selves into the kitchen. “We do not try to imitate their recipes or preserve them formally. When they come in, they bring their culture with them. And that’s what makes the experience so special.”
Enoteca Maria and the Quest to Preserve Oral Tradition
In many Latinx households, recipes are passed down orally, from one generation to the next. At Enoteca Maria, that tradition lives on. While there is no formal cookbook, the restaurant honors these culinary stories by letting each grandmother lead her day in her own way. “It’s all up to them,” Scaravella says. “Whoever is cooking that day brings her story and her voice. That is how the heritage is preserved.”
The Future of Enoteca Maria: Film, TV, and Cultural Expansion
Looking ahead, Enoteca Maria is poised to take center stage in the global spotlight. A film titled Nonnas, based on Scaravella’s journey, is set for a worldwide release on May 9. Vince Vaughn stars as Scaravella in the movie, which will debut in 90 countries and multiple languages. A sequel, Nonnas of the World, and a television series are already in the works. “In the sequel, we will travel to different countries, meet grandmothers, and learn from them,” Scaravella shares.
Beyond the film and TV, Scaravella envisions Enoteca Maria expanding into a nonprofit, with a mission to further empower older people from every background. “We offer a free one-on-one cooking class called Nonnas in Training,” he says. “I want to grow that program and continue spreading cultural awareness and empowerment to seniors.”
Rosa’s passion for food is evident. “I cook with love,” she says. “And I hope that’s what people feel when they taste my food.”
