‘l’ll teach you how to make a pizza in five minutes, but it’s going to take your lifetime to truly master it.’

Gaetano Giordano, Farmingville

“My name is Gaetano Giordano, but you can call me Tano. I come from a proud lineage of Italian immigrants, my parents, Cecilia and Francesco. My father came to the United States in 1963, and it was here that he first laid eyes on a captivating sight — a pizzaiolo in action. The neon lights framing the storefront window, with the word ‘Pizza’ glowing in the center, caught his attention. Inside, he saw a person skillfully pressing the dough, making it fly through the air like a saucer.

“My father was captivated. He knew at that moment that he wanted to pursue a career in pizza-making in America. His passion for pizza was infectious, and many members of our family and friends followed suit, learning the craft from my father.

“As I began my own journey in pizza-making, my father imparted a powerful lesson: ‘I’ll teach you how to make a pizza in five minutes, but it’s going to take your lifetime to truly master it.’ Growing up, I was surrounded by the pizza business. It was ingrained in our family’s DNA. However, school was a challenge for me. It wasn’t until later that I discovered I had dyslexia, which made it harder for me to learn. Feeling left behind, I often played hooky at school.

“My father, in an effort to teach me a lesson, told me that if I didn’t go to school, I would have to come to work with him. Surprisingly, I found solace and joy in working alongside him. Against my parents’ wishes, I eventually dropped out of high school.

“Together with my father, we opened a pizzeria in our hometown of Farmingville. We named it Baby John’s Pizzeria, in honor of my late brother. At just 18 years old, I found myself immersed in the family business.”

With three years of recuperation and therapy, I am grateful to have my leg and the ability to walk.

“For nearly two decades, we dedicated ourselves to this pizzeria. While it brought us joy to see young children grow into adults and serve our community with delicious meals, it also meant sacrificing our free time. The holidays were the only breaks we took in 20 years.

“As my parents’ health began to decline, I took on the responsibility of running the pizzeria on my own. However, the long hours began to take a toll on me. So we made the difficult decision to sell the business. It was during this time that I deeply regretted never graduating high school.

“Determined to make a change, I enrolled in GED classes and successfully passed the test. While working at Mama’s Pizza in Oakdale, New York, I finally had a couple of consecutive days off each week. It was during this time that I met the love of my life, Linda Maria, who I affectionately call my Queen Bella Mia. Linda saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. She encouraged me to pursue a life beyond being a pizzaiolo.

“With her support, I changed careers and became a chef at the Arbors Assisted Living, where I had a regular 40-hour workweek. Within two years, I was promoted to food service director for one of their locations in Bohemia, New York. However, one fateful day in July 2017, my life took an unexpected turn. I was involved in a car accident that left me with a compound fracture in my right ankle and a significant loss of blood. Survival was uncertain, and there was a strong possibility that I would lose my leg.

“Through the prayers and expertise of the incredible health care professionals at Stony Brook University Hospital, I managed to overcome these challenges. With three years of recuperation and therapy, I am grateful to have my leg and the ability to walk.”

The pizza world I grew up in shaped me into the person I am today, and now I hope to pass on that transformative power to others.

“During my recovery, I stumbled upon a captivating video on YouTube. It showcased the Mastro Pizza Pavilion, a pizzeria that existed at the World’s Fair. To my surprise, my own father appeared in the midst of all the pizza makers, unknowingly leaving a mark on pizza history.

“Little did he know, and I don’t think anyone did, that the man behind this pizzeria was none other than Frank Mastro, the pioneer of gas pizza ovens that are now commonly found in pizzerias across America. This video, an old ’60s infomercial promoting their products, not only provided a fascinating history lesson about pizza but also became a valuable resource in my pizza classes.

“One evening, while enjoying dinner with friends at a party, I overheard a couple discussing the cooking lesson they had taken at their local public library. It sparked an idea in my mind — why not create my own pizza history and demonstration sessions at these libraries? This would allow me to share my love for pizza and keep my passion alive. And so, Pizza by Tano pizza, encompassing history and pizza demonstrations at public libraries, was born. I find immense joy in showcasing the craft I deeply respect and teaching others things I never even knew when I was working in the field myself.

“Furthermore, I aim to shed light on the lives of pizza makers and owners, while also supporting small businesses. Perhaps my classes will inspire some attendees to venture into the world of pizza and culinary arts themselves. During conversations with one of my class attendees, I stumbled upon an incredible revelation: Working with their hands can greatly benefit children with dyslexia, autism and learning disabilities, aiding their ability to concentrate.

“This reminded me of my own upbringing in the pizza world, where working with pizza dough and spinning it in the air helped me cope with my own dyslexia. The pizza world I grew up in shaped me into the person I am today, and now I hope to pass on that transformative power to others.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘I’m still that kid who can’t believe this is happening.’

Farmingville

“When I was 7, my mom took me to see ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ I had to get dressed up with a jacket and bowtie. I remember her saying, ‘You have to sit still, and you can’t make noise because this is live and they can hear you.’ It scared me! On the way out she said, ‘I have never seen you sit so still! I’m going to have to take you to more shows!’ At 9, I realized theater is what I wanted to do.

“I couldn’t sing or dance, but I intuitively guessed that there must be someone who’s in charge of all of the moving parts. I’d see shows on Broadway and touring shows on Long Island. I went to SUNY Oneonta and traveled into the city four times a year for a seminar from the [American] Theatre Wing about working in theater. One day, Isabelle Stevenson came up to me and said, ‘You’re here all the time. Are you in the business?’ I said, ‘No, but I’m desperate to get into it. I love theater!’ She told me about a new MFA [master of fine arts] program at Columbia University in arts management. I thought my interview there couldn’t have gone worse. They said, ‘It’s a very competitive program. Why should we admit you?’ I blurted out, ‘Because no one wants it more or will work harder than me.’ To my surprise, I was accepted!

I still get excited every time I see a theater and I watch people enter it.

“I shadowed a stage manager and interned in a box office and as Sheryl Lee Ralph’s assistant during ‘Dreamgirls.’ I got a job managing operations at Minetta Lane Theatre and worked my way up until I came on board ‘Jelly’s Last Jam’ as an associate. Thirty years later, I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, including ‘Kinky Boots’ and ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie.’ I’m bringing over ‘Life of Pi’ from London and working on the revival of ‘Here Lies Love.’

“I’m still that kid who can’t believe this is happening. Even after two Tonys, I think I suffered from impostor syndrome. I’m finally able to look at my shows and know I helped create wonderful stories that will live on. I’ve learned that I have the capacity to be anxious and effective at the same time and to face my fears. Someone mentioned retirement. I know it will be time to retire when I walk into a theater and I don’t feel a butterfly in my stomach. I still get excited every time I see a theater and I watch people enter it.”

Interviewed by Iris Wiener

‘Growing up all I had were my siblings. It was hard for me to make friends, but I have five sisters, so who needs friends when you have an army?’

Farmingville

“I’m an entertainer at Gossip. But I am not a stripper. What people don’t understand is I am actually an exotic aerialist. I put on an actual choreographed performance where I hang from the rafters. I’m actually deathly scared of heights. But for some reason, you can put me 25, 30, 40 feet, in the air while I do this, and I’m fine. But if you put me on a roller coaster, I am passed out from screaming.

“I have a regular day job too. I’m a flagger, so I go from construction work to my night job where I come out with hoops, straps and climb up to the ceilings. They are two completely different worlds. I also have a hairdresser’s license and make all my own cosmetics. It’s New York. You need more than one job, especially during COVID. You weren’t putting makeup on people. There was nothing open. No live entertainment. But I still had work, thanks to my construction job. We weren’t near anybody, so we didn’t have to worry.

My younger sisters are triplets. They still live with me, and I helped put them all through school.

“I am always looking for what I can do next as a performer because if you keep doing the same show over and over again, it gets stale. I’ve gone out to Brooklyn and Manhattan for circus classes and have even taken some private pole dancing classes with male instructors.

“I’ve also appeared in movies and shows. I was a background dancer in the opening scene of an episode of the Showtime series, “Billions,” and was the main background for J-Lo’s “Hustlers” music video. That was cool. They kept me for all five days of the shoot. Most girls only got two. I got all five. But every day on set they had to cover up my tattoos with make-up.

“Growing up all I had were my siblings. It was hard for me to make friends, but I have five sisters, so who needs friends when you have an army? My younger sisters are triplets. They still live with me, and I helped put them all through school.

“I also take care of my 78-year-old grandmother, who lives with me. She’s fabulous. She’s the cutest little old-school Italian lady from Brooklyn. I offered to start taking care of her when COVID hit because I didn’t want her placed into a nursing home. She’s very proud of me from what I can understand, and she always waits up for me at night. I love my grandmother.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner