Chef Raffaele Ronca, Opens Rye

by | Jun 8, 2018 | Dining, Editor's Pick, Featured

A dear friend and longtime favorite Italian restaurant have just opened its second location. Chef Raffaele Ronca opens Rye, June 6, 2018, to friends and family. The decor is clean elegant and perfect for a date night or just family and friends. If you dine alone but prefer company, don’t worry the excellent staff and Chef Raffaele will be sure to introduce you to their regulars.

It’s Famiglia always at Rafele New York City and now Rye New York.

Months and months of planning going to and from, making sure that everything was just perfezionare, Chef Raffaele Ronca is just that, a perfectionist. When we first met Chef Raffaele back in 2012, his West Village Ristorante was still brand new, what we noticed right from the start and he’s never wavered, is his dedication to create a welcoming culinary experience, with just the right special touches fresh flower arrangements, beautiful displays of fresh vegetables, fresh homemade cheesecake which still today is one of the most talked about in New York, and truly the best authentic Neapolitan ingredients in every dish. Fresh daily-made pasta, including Gluten Free, to various meat dishes, fresh delights from the sea and a renowned wine list.

The new location in Rye is said to have that same special welcome glowed inside with lovely furnishings and art. Chef stayed with his open kitchen design, with a lovely enclosed wine room, two brick ovens to prepare their il piú delizioso designer pizzas, his same trips to the fish market for fresh fish, and mouth-watering meats, for the carnivores. Of course, there is a beautiful bar, to enjoy a cool refreshing flute of Prosecco.

Our favorite dishes, Paccheri All’ Amatriciana, Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu, Cacio E Pepe, Pizza Fritta, roasted cauliflower and sautéed spinach, Bistecca Per Due 22 OZ, Finocchio Brasato, Cavofiore and many delicious authentic dishes to choose from. BUT, be sure to save room for dessert!

Our CEO Grace A. Capobianco and a good friend of Chef Raffaele Ronca, was unable to attend the opening due to an already committed schedule, “I am so very proud of Chef Raffaele Ronca, for his second location, I am sure, just like his many fans and followers in NYC, the residents of Rye will soon make Rafele Rye their favorite spot. Every person who comes to visit me here in New York City request to dine at Rafele West Village, from my longtime High School friends to family members from Europe and Israel. They are sure to add Rafele’s to their list of things to do. Chef Raffaele’s heart and generosity are as authentic and fresh as his cuisine. Over our years of friendship, when we’ve called on Chef to create a special meal for our cover celebrities from Chris Noth to Zac Posen, Chef not only sent over a table full of delicious dishes, but also stayed to ensure that the quality when served was as perfect as when first cooked and that the celebrity enjoyed every bite. I’m so happy for my dear friend Chef Raf and for the Rye community, we only hope that we still get to still see his gorgeous smile at his first baby, Rafele West Village. I love you Raf and I will be out shortly”

Chef Raffaele Ronca, Naples-born and raised, Chef comes from a family of butchers and fishermen who collectively inspired his lifelong passion for food and flavors. With his family also in the restaurant business, Raffaele embraced cooking and culinary explorations as integral parts of not only his Italian culture but its also his heart and soul. Working in his uncle’s restaurant in Naples and helping his mother make fresh pasta daily, Raffaele learned to respect the beauty and taste of fresh ingredients, as well as the time it takes to select and prepare them for fine dishes. Immigrating to America at the age of 21, Raffaele worked steadily at some of New York’s most authentic Italian restaurants, including as the executive chef at Palma, chef du cuisine at Bellavitae and manager of food and wine at Caffé Torino.

Chef Raffaele Ronca is a winner of the hit Food Network show “Chopped.” He is also a collaborator with the James Beard Foundation, and his signature Buffalo Ricotta Cheesecake has been featured twice in Food & Wine magazine as one of the top cheesecakes in America, in addition to having received other impressive culinary accolades.

We are honored to have featured Chef Raffaele Ronca, in our magazine numerous times, he is an authentic in his person as he is in his cuisine. The Rye menu will vary slightly from it’s Manhattan sister ristorante but we are sure that even the most discerning pallet will be pleased.

 

 

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