Tony is a real-life American dream story, a self-taught chef now in business for a quarter century. He helps anyone that needs it, leads by example, and donates countless hours of his time, as well as food, to those in need, including anything from the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend area schools to the Everett Theater to a beef-and-beer for someone ill in the community.
Age: 39
Chef/Owner
Immediato’s Bistro & Catering
Middletown
Social media you can’t live without: For me, Facebook and Instagram are the two best for us to reach our friends and customers and put pictures of new dishes in front of them to let them know all the fun things we are doing.
Your biggest break: When I got a phone call (at age 29) from the bank telling me I was approved to purchase what is now our business property, and was able to make my dream come true.
Best career advice you ever got: An old-timer told me, invest in yourself and believe in yourself, always be creative, love what you do. You will have ups and downs, but make your plan and work your plan and I’m still working it.
How you give back: Food donations and gift cards are a big way of giving back, but I’m most proud of our support for the local wrestling teams and the Delaware Wrestlers Alliance. Each year, they host The Beast of the East wrestling tournament and we do the hospitality room for them, feeding 1,500 coaches and refs from across the country. It helps them keep their spending down so they can offer more scholarships for our local wrestlers.
Your biggest challenge: Staying true to what we know and offering farm-to-table meals and the freshest food, despite all the chain restaurants popping up in our community.
Work-life balance technique you recommend: Having a great support system at home because, being self-employed, you have to make sure you separate family from work.
