From a young age, it became evident that Joey Maggiore was bound to follow in the footsteps of his father, the great chef Tomaso Maggiore because of the keen interest he showed in culinary artistry. Food was always in his genes; from childhood, Joey would see his father work in their Italian Restaurant, which was established in 1977. It was there, in his family restaurant, that Joey’s career as a chef began. Since then, he has been passionate about creating new dishes and enjoys the process of people experiencing his food for the first time.
His first mentor was his own father, but as his passion grew, Joey attended the Scottsdale Culinary Academy. Following that, he went ahead and started his first restaurant called “Joey’s California Bistro” in Coronado, California. This was the start of perhaps the most exclusive food chains of all time.
As the food industry is constantly evolving, Joey Maggiore has made sure to keep up with every change. All his years of experience, coupled with his family history and expertise, have taught him to keep the balance between the business side and the art of food. Each one of his ventures is a one-of-a-kind experience. Today, The Maggiore group, under Joey, hosts popular restaurants that are both creative in their experiences as well as have some of the most delectable food choices.
The Maggiore Group has a range of restaurants conceptualized by Joey and his wife, Cristina Maggiore. Hash Kitchen is a unique brunch experience that also has its own ‘Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar;’ The Mexicano has elevated Mexican cuisine like lava rock fajitas, three-foot quesadillas, and molcajetes; The Sicilian Butcher has a charcuterie bar and is a Sicilian-inspired restaurant featuring Sicilian style charcuterie boards, craft meatballs, and hand-cut pasta; The Sicilian Baker offers a cannoli bar, Pasticceria and Italian market next door, which is located next to The Sicilian Butcher.
Owing to the diversity of his food ventures, the unconventional thought behind each dish he creates, and his never-ending knack for staying ahead in the culinary game, Joey is known as the ‘concept guy.’ With forty above restaurants, Joey has successfully continued his family’s heritage because, to him, it’s more than just about cooking—it is about the smiles that his food brings to people’s faces. Even though his magical culinary skills coupled with constantly evolving ideas with which he creates a lively environment is enough, Joey is now set to announce the formation of The Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Arts Foundation in his mission to give back to the community. Tomaso’s children, Joey and Melissa, and Joey’s wife, Cristina, will act as the directors for the new foundation. To further the foundation’s mission, the board will establish a scholarship that will support students pursuing an education in the culinary arts. “We are truly grateful for the generous outpouring of support being provided to the foundation,” he added.
Joey has made several TV appearances and received national acclaim. His concepts have been featured and awarded in many publications, including Phoenix Magazine, Thrillist, USA Today, and Forbes. His TV features include Food Network, Travel Channel, FOX 10 News, ABC 15 News, NBC’s 12News, 3TV/Arizona’s Family, and his own show on Food Network: Family Style. His work speaks for itself. Although initially, his goal was to give the people of Scottsdale a place to congregate and indulge in authentic Italian cuisine, he admits that he saw the concept growing at its very origin, and he cannot be happier that it did.
Joey Maggiore also realizes that with all the success, there is a huge responsibility on his shoulders. He not only has to keep up with his family name but also has to give back. “We donate heavily and are involved with helping children. Most importantly, we always have an open kitchen policy to train new chefs and cooks,” he emphasized.
It is evident from both Joey’s personal philosophy and the standard he holds his business to that, at the end of the day, the vision behind The Maggiore Group is to spread smiles to everyone they serve!