Chef and restaurateur Nicola Accardi transformed Manganaro’s Grosseria Italiana, Importers of Olive Oil and Cheeses—an iconic New York culinary landmark for more than 130 years—into Tavola, which opened in 2012 and remains a favorite among locals and returning visitors. Tavola, Italian for “table,” celebrates regional Italian cooking, with an emphasis on Puglian, Roman, and Sicilian traditions.
His training began early through apprenticeships with Basque and Italian chefs and was deepened by relatives who treated food as both craft and way of life. He carries those traditions forward through hand-crafted dishes and time-honored ingredients inspired by his travels through Puglia, Rome, and Sicily—especially Castelvetrano, the Sicilian town at the heart of his family roots.
Nick sources exceptional regional ingredients, including single-estate Castelvetrano olives and extra virgin olive oil, which he exclusively imports and sells at Tavola. He was also the first to import Tumminia flour, an ancient Sicilian grain used in Tavola’s daily Black Bread—a signature so distinctive that Florence Fabricant returned to write about it for The New York Times.
What first interested you in your area of the hospitality industry?
I come from a family of chefs and spent my formative years learning their techniques and absorbing their passion.
Who are a few of the people that have encouraged your career?
My mother and grandmother were my earliest influences. Each had her own take on Sicilian traditions, which shaped my sense of what food could be. Later, my apprenticeships opened me to worlds I never imagined.
What challenges do you think people face in your industry?
It’s Murphy’s Law: if it can go wrong, it will. You’re constantly on your toes, putting out small fires while adapting to shifting tastes, neighborhood changes, and new competition.
Can you cite a few accomplishments that have given you great pride and elevated your work?
Since 1988, I’ve launched 12 well-received restaurants, each with its own vision, and received overwhelming public response.
What piece of advice can you lend to others who are considering your career?
I’d strongly suggest you don’t—the odds are against you. But if you choose to proceed against those odds and prevail, you’re probably cut out for this business.
Everyone who works in hospitality has a story to tell about something incredible that happened on the job. What’s one that you often tell?
I still find it incredible that I’ve opened 12 restaurants since 1988, seen them well received and reviewed, and made it through disasters, blackouts, pandemics, and shifting tastes.What do you hope people understand about those who work in your area of hospitality?
What do you hope people understand about those who work in your area of hospitality?
I hope people understand that every new restaurant is built on relentless decisions. There are no accidents—only deadlines, sweat, and sacrifice long before the curtain comes up.
Website for Tavola Hell’s Kitchen
Photo courtesy of Nicola Accardi
