Buongiorno!
My name is Peter Ferrante, and together with my wife, we are
the owners of Messina, your Italian restaurant.
Firstly, let me welcome you into my life and here is some
background on why I took up cooking. White sandy beaches,
fresh vegetables and fish -that is Vittoria- a hardworking
Sicilian town where I grew up. My passion for cooking was
highly influenced by my father and mother. My dad, would tell
me stories about him running my grandmother’s pastry
store, and baked me homemade cookies. My mom would send me
to do grocery shopping and that is where I interacted with
food ingredients. I also traveled around in Italy, sampling
dishes. At the age of 19, I wanted to open a pizzeria in my
hometown but red-tape and fierce competition made that impossible.
Two
years later, I came to America, and I started working in
a pizza shop. After a month of working here, I met my love,
Patricia, who was also working in a pizza shop. Ten months
later, we got married. The commitments of a family spurred
us both to work harder -we had a dream of running our own
business.
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Peter
& Patricia Ferrante |
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After
18 years of countless sacrifice, we were closer to our goal
when a chance was presented to us to own Messina. It was
tough. We had to sell our home, our business and move to
Stewartstown while trying to make Messina a success. We
had the vision to deliver the -best food, atmosphere, service,
price to you- all these peppered with a little touch of
Italian.
Currently,
the most rewarding thing about Messina's is that our customers
are also our friends. I derive joy when I see you savor
my cooking, and I am always learning to make my restaurant
your home. A friend once told me, "Customers come to
your restaurant to enjoy your experience in serving them."
That has been my motto for my restaurant since.
Now
come and take a look inside if you have never been here
before, and if you are here, make yourself at home. Thank
you for making Messina a success, my friends.
Peter Ferrante |
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Benvenuti!
Hi, I am Patricia Ferrante, the co-owner of Messina, your
Italian Restaurant. While you wait to be served, I would
like to welcome you by sharing a little of my life.
About 30 years ago, my plumber Father and home-maker Mom
purchased a pizza shop. Rolling pizza dough, manning the
front counter and making sandwiches were my way in helping
around the shop.
I can still remember the alluring aroma of freshly baked
homemade Sicilian pizzas, piping hot from the huge oven.
It was also there where I learned recipes from my Mother.
Seven years later, I met my husband, Peter at a tender age
of 19. It was love at first sight. I loved him for his passion
in food and his appetite for learning. WE got married shortly
and worked hand in hand, twenty-four-seven to achieve our
dream, to own our very own restaurant!
We enjoyed bouncing cooking ideas off of each other, and
our desire to operate our own restaurant grew each day.
Imagine teaching Peter to make stromboli over the phone!
Never once did our love for cooking subside. We had a vision,
to bring a taste of Italian in everything we do, cook and
serve for you, my friends.
After years of hard work, welcome to our Labour of Love,
Messina. There is not one dull day as I strive to see my
friends leaving our restaurant 100% satisfied. I grew to
love everyday looking at how Peter tries out new recipes
and introducing them to me. At Messina, it is always friends
first, and customers second. You know you can always make
yourself at home here.
Well, my friend, I hope you will enjoy your stay at your
restaurant, Messina, where my family and I will be glad
to host you.
Patricia Ferrante
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