Joseph Bonacore

Coming Up

Chef-owner work in Oceanside, New York, is where Joseph Bonacore’s point of view was shaped in public. At Lawson Pub until 2014, he was making decisions in the pressure of service, building a kitchen identity dish by dish rather than by declaration. In 2014, he moved into Fiamma as chef-owner, a shift that carried the same discipline forward instead of resetting it. The continuity matters: the role changed, but the working method did not.

Where They Are Now

Ownership at Bacaro Italian Tavern in Massapequa Park, New York places Joseph Bonacore in the daily mechanics of the business as well as the cooking. That position keeps the work immediate: timing, consistency, and the discipline needed to hold a clear line through a busy service. It is present-tense restaurant work, with experience doing its job quietly.

Career - chef-owner, Fiamma, Oceanside, New York (2014–present) - chef-owner, Lawson Pub, Oceanside, New York (until 2014)

Signature

The signature plates associated with Joseph Bonacore show how Italian comfort can stay familiar without becoming flat. Flame-grilled beet salad brings smoke against earthiness; ricotta and white truffle flatbread leans into richness without losing structure; Lucca-style fried calamari is the clearest marker of his hand; eggplant meatballs sit in the register of familiar red-sauce cooking; and straw and hay points to a pasta style that depends on restraint as much as flavor. Read together, they map a kitchen that values recognizability, balance, and clean execution.

In Their Words “I’ve gotten back my own fire.”

FAQ Where did Joseph Bonacore work before? Joseph Bonacore's earlier career included Lawson Pub. What is Joseph Bonacore known for? Italian food.