Parm to Table: Italian American and American Italian Recipes from Ponza to the Bronx

**An instant New York Times Bestseller**

Named one of the best cookbooks of 2025 by Serious Eats, The Smithsonian Magazine, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon

Foreword by Martha Stewart

The most fun Italian-American cookbook you’ll ever splatter red sauce on, with over 70 recipes from chef, restauranteur, Food Network star, and Bronx-born Italian-American Christian Petroni.

Christian Petroni grew up in kitchens. Born in the Bronx, where his uncle owned an Italian restaurant, he was surrounded by Italian-American NYC culture. But he also spent his summers in Ponza, a small Italian island off the coast of Naples, surrounded by old-world culinary Italian traditions. He’s been working in kitchens since he was thirteen and has made a name for himself working in some of the best restaurants in the NYC area, including his own, Fortina.

All his knowledge, experience, and homegrown Italian heritage are wrapped up in his debut cookbook, Parm to Table. The combination here is simply delicious: no pretension, no hang-ups, just good food made to taste like your nonna made it.

The book is broken up into chapters based on what you’re looking for:

• Italian-American Classics, like 8-Hour Marinara Sauce and Neapolitan Eggplant Parmigiana
• Family-Style Meals, like Lasagna “Calabrese Influence,” Fried Meatballs, and Fresh Mozzarella Sticks
• Weeknight Go-To’s, like My Babe’s Sausage & Peppers and Potato Frittata
• Ponza inspired dishes, like Spaghetti Vongole and Zia Gisella’s Braised Calamari Pasta
• Plus Soups and Braises, Heros (sandwiches), Condimenti & Basic Sauces, and Dolci (Sweets)

With lush food photography and lifestyle imagery throughout, the book is as visually stunning as the food is delicious. Parm to Table is the go-to cookbook for anyone who loves comforting, home-cooked food, from Italy to the Bronx.

Born and raised in the Bronx, Christian Petroni has made a name for himself as one of the best-known chefs in Italian and Italian-American cuisine. Growing up, Christian spent every summer in Ponza, a small island off the coast of Naples, where he got to experience the authentic food and old-world culinary practices of his grandparents and ancestors. At 13, he lied about his age to his first employer so he could work at their monster Italian wedding catering factory. The groundwork was set—he was hooked on the action.

After receiving acclaim for his cooking in restaurants throughout New York City, Christian struck out on his own at age 28 with his first restaurant, Fortina, in the suburbs not far from where he grew up, serving wood-fired pizza and other straightforward but great Italian food in a fun atmosphere. The Westchester food scene had never seen anything like it before. The restaurant soon went from one location to five.

During this time, Christian started appearing more and more on The Food Network, first as the joint-winner of Food Network Star and on many other programs since then. His popularity has continued to grow with his drool-inducing reels on Instagram. Most recently, he’s started selling his garlic bread at Yankee Stadium—a true homecoming for a kid from the Bronx, and the pinnacle of his career thus far. Christian lives in New York with his wife and two children.

Lesley Porcelli is a writer, editor, and recipe developer. Trained as a chef, she has edited at Fine Cooking, Gourmet, Martha Stewart Living, and Allrecipes; she has also contributed to Saveur, Family Circle, foodnetwork.com, and several books. She is a recipe editor and regular contributor for Food Network.

Lesley also oversees content for a food and wellness company, and has consulted for local restaurateurs on their branding, menus, marketing, and recipes. She is an avid baker and daily crossword puzzler. She lives in Syracuse, NY with her husband, three kids, and dog.