Dirty Dishes: A Restaurateur's Story of Passion, Pain, and Pasta

by Pino Luongo and Andrew Friedman

Book Overview

The ultimate insider's story: a no-holds-barred memoir by the legendary restaurateur, from his boyhood in Tuscany to his rise, fall, and rebirth in the New York food world. Everyone has an opinion... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1596914424
• ISBN13: 9781596914421
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 255 Pages
• Weight: 1.13 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Pino Luongo is a Great Entrepreneur

Pino walks through his life and shares how he came to America unable to speak English and within ten years became a successful entrepreneur. I admire him immensely. One of my favorite parts in the book is where Pino describes how he was working at an apparel store--a job that he hated immensely--and then one day, he left for lunch and never went back. I read that part several times. His writing is witty and very amusing. Through a friend, I had the pleasure of meeting Pino in late '97. For two years my friend and I had the pleasure of dining frequently at Le Madri, Coco Pazzo, Coco Opera, Coco Marina and Tuscan Square. I also dined several times at Sapore Di Mare in the Hamptons. Reading Dirty Dishes brought back all those great memories. I enjoyed the book so much that I started reading it again. My next visit will be to Centolire. I hope that Pino is there when I stop by.

Pino's Passions bleeds from his heart into print with Dirty Dishes!

I have to say, I have worked for Pino for almost 11 years at Coco Pazzo in Chicago and with out his passion for Italian food, and culture, there would be a lot of Italian Chefs in America lost in the kitchen (including myself). From his persistence for the truth of the Italian Kitchen, in his books, his teachings and his restaurants, he has inspired me to open my own Italian restaurant in Chicago. In this book, his true passion bleeds from his heart into print. This is a must have book, true to himself and to the reader.

spicy story

A quick and informative view into the New York City restaurant scene. Pino story is funny, heartwarming and controversial. His voice is passionate about his craft and the politics that surrounds it. He posses many questions that some Journalists have chosen to ignore over the years. Tim Zagat's phone book being one that Pino outs as a publication that is less of the people and more of the politics. His opinions are shape and as you read on you realize it's not that he does not care. You learn that his Italian upbringing is what prevents him from kissing up to frauds. As a dinner I now know why my favorite little place around the corner never gets a big mention in Zagat's but last night it was full.

Great Read!

For those that like food and restaurants, and want to know what it takes to open and run truly great restaurants then this is a must. Pino knows what it takes to deliver great hospitality to the most demanding customers, and brings it all together in this great book.

Great story.

Having enjoyed many of Pino Luongo's restaurants -- Il Cantonori, Le Madri, Coco Pazzo, Tuscan Square, and Centolire -- it's a delight to meet the man behind the menus. The story is one of success and failure and more success. It seems particularly timely for New Yorkers -- that someone would start with nothing (Luongo immigrated to NY from Italy without so much as a word of English) build an empire (16 restaurants at one point!) and come to realize that the simple things are life's greatest rewards. Whether you love to cook, eat or simply read --- you will enjoy this story.