About the Chef
Frank Pelligrino
Born in East Harlem, Pellegrino is co-owner of Rao's Restaurant.
The restaurant, infamous for being hard to get in to, opened in 1896 and has been managed by several generations of Pellegrino's family.
Pellegrino began working there with his Uncle Vincent and Aunt Anna in 1973.
An actor and singer, Pellegrino has appeared in Martin Scorsese's GOODFELLAS, Woody Allen's MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY,
and has had parts in the television series NEW YORK UNDERCOVER, and the SOPRANOS.
He has also written RAO'S COOKBOOK, OVER 100 YEARS OF ITALIAN HOME COOKING (1998, Random House),
and has produced a CD containing music from the restaurant's jukebox, evoking the spirit of Rao's and the old neighborhood.
Rao's is a restaurant founded in 1896. Rao's is located at 455 East 114th Street, East Harlem, New York City.
