Christian Petroni

Christian Petroni is an American chef, restaurateur, and television personality known for his Italian-American culinary expertise and presence in food media. A first-generation Italian-American from the Bronx, Petroni was raised in New York City’s Italian-American community and spent summers in Ponza, Italy, where he learned traditional Italian cooking. He graduated from the New York Restaurant School for Culinary Arts and gained experience cooking in Naples, Italy. After working with Andy Pforzheimer and the Barteca Group, Petroni co-founded the wood-fired Italian restaurant Fortina with John Nealon.

Petroni became the youngest chef in the Hudson Valley to receive an "Excellent" rating from the New York Times and has cooked at The James Beard House. He opened five Fortina restaurants in New York and Connecticut. His television career began with a winning appearance on "Chopped" Season 4, after which he returned as a recurring judge. Petroni also won "Food Network Star" Season 14, a season that ended in a tie, and has appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay," "Guy's Grocery Games," "Guy's Ranch Kitchen," "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," "Supermarket Stakeout," and "Tournament of Champions."

Petroni has participated in multiple seasons of "Tournament of Champions" and has discussed professional challenges, including stepping away from Fortina to focus on new culinary projects. He launched "Ella's by Christian Petroni" in Nashville, a coastal Italian restaurant featuring an open kitchen and communal counter, offering dishes such as olive oil fried meatballs, ricotta with focaccia, Eggplant Parm Neapolitan-style, and Chicken Parm. Petroni also serves his signature cheesy garlic bread at Yankee Stadium, inspired by classic red sauce restaurants and featuring his eight-hour marinara sauce.

Petroni is the author of the cookbook "Parm to Table: Italian American and American Italian Recipes from Ponza to the Bronx," which became a New York Times Bestseller and was recognized by Serious Eats, Smithsonian Magazine, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. The book, published by HarperCollins with a foreword by Martha Stewart, showcases Italian-American recipes and culinary traditions. Petroni has promoted his work on "Good Morning America" and has been honored for his contributions to fighting hunger, including recognition by Table to Table, a food rescue organization. Petroni continues to be recognized for his influence in Italian-American cuisine, restaurant entrepreneurship, and food television.