Joseph Mancuso serves as Head Chef at Fontinello’s Italian Cuisine, a fine Italian restaurant located in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Joseph has owned several restaurants throughout the Grand Strand, most notably, Mancuso’s. Joseph has had a lifelong love for Italian cuisine, and says the secret to his success is his Italian heritage and his family’s love of the art of Italian cuisine.
Joseph grew up in an Italian family whom loved good food and good wine, so it is only natural that he become a restaurateur. His mother, Jeanette DeFalco Mancuso (Mama Mancuso), was the chef in the family and his father, Albert Mancuso, was the vintner. Mama Mancuso’s parents owned several restaurants throughout Italy, which served as her inspiration in becoming a well-respected gourmet chef when her family moved to the United States from Naples, Italy. Mama Mancuso cooked privately for stars like Paul Newman. It was through Mama Mancuso that Joseph developed his talent for cooking. His mother taught him the art of homemade pastas, sauces and breads.
“Every Sunday my mother would prepare a five course meal for our entire extended family, simmering sauces for hours, making breads, amazing desserts, delicious meat dishes and of course lots of pasta. It was a very traditional Italian household and I learned from the best, my mom,” says Joseph.
Joseph’s father was from Sicily. He made homemade wine that was served at family meals. “Our family, as is with most Italian families, loved every aspect of the family meal. Sunday dinner was an all day event in our house. Easting should not be rushed, it should be savored, experienced, enjoyed. Good food, great friends, great wine, it is how we lived,” says Joseph.
Taking inspiration for good food and good wine learned from his family, Joseph opened his first restaurant along the Grand Strand called Mancuso’s in 1992. The restaurant, steeped in Mancuso family tradition and Mama Mancuso’s recipes was an instant success on the Grand Strand. The restaurant enjoyed loyal customers for over 10 years; and over time, Joseph opened three more restaurants in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area.
After leaving Mancuso’s and the restaurant business for five years to spend time with his young daughter, Joseph came back to his roots by opening up Fontinello’s Italian Cuisine. Fontinello’s Italian Cuisine opened in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina in January, 2008 to instant rave reviews.
Joseph truly loves what he does and thanks his Italian heritage and family for allowing him the gift of doing what he loves.
