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For over 40 years, chef Michael Ayoub has been feeding the people of New York, much of it pizza. And for the past 21 years (nearing 22 years come May 20), he has been doing so at his restaurant Fornino, a wood-fired pizzeria that deep dives into the art of flour and water. His footprint has grown since his early days, some of them skyward, with rooftop restaurants in Brooklyn Bridge Park and another at our very own Time Out Market New York, Dumbo. And last year, the chef made the move to Manhattan for the first time, arriving at Time Out Market New York, Union Square. On the cusp of his annual pizza party for charity, we caught up with chef Ayoub between shifts to talk about valuable lessons in the kitchen, his expansive tomato seed collection and where he likes to get a slice of pizza in the city.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from another chef?
The most valuable lesson I learned was from Claude Bailles: don't serve anything I'm not proud of and something that I wouldn't eat myself.
Where do you go to unwind in NYC?
I like The Met Museum. We live close to it, and it's always something new. Right now, there's an unbelievable Raphael show.
If you could travel to any other city right now and dine out for a week, what city would you visit?
I was just in Madrid last year, and the food was amazing. We had an opportunity to go to a restaurant, Diverxo, the number two restaurant in the world at the time, 26 courses, and I still remember every one of them.
What’s your favorite dish to make for yourself?
Chicken Milanese.
Do you have any other secret talents other than cooking?
I blow glass. I also collect tomato seeds throughout the world. I have about 400 varieties of tomatoes, and I grow about 50-60 varieties every year. And I grow about 400 plants, and I give them away to people.
What NYC restaurant did you first fall in love with?
Nobu, I love Nobu.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?
A veterinarian.
Besides your own, where do you like to go for a slice of pizza in NYC?
Keste [Pizza e Vino]. [Roberto Caporuscio] is a good friend, and he makes great pizza.
What are your go-to restaurants in NYC?
One of my favorite restaurants in New York, I like Sfoglia— great chicken, great pastas. I really enjoy it there. It's one of my go tos. It's in my neighborhood. And Nobu, my wife loves Nobu. We enjoy anything we can eat with chopsticks.