Authors (BIO)
Just to give you a little background on how it all started. I was the first born to Assunta (Sue) and
Vincenzo Paolino (Jim) on May 14th 1943. That’s a hell of a nickname for Vincenzo? For one reason or
another many of the Italians that came from Italy named Vincenzo as well as many American Italians
named Vincenzo or Vincent wound up with the nickname of Jim or Jimmy. My father was Jim and I was
Jimmy boy which both sides of the families referred to us as. I didn't know what my name was until I
went to school.
It’s my first day in kindergarten and the teacher is doing roll-call. I here Vincenzo Paolino?? I’m looking
out window at the birds, last year’s student’s pictures on the wall; Wow! I’m in school. Now being the
only one that didn't’t raise their hand the teacher comes over and asks “what’s your name son”? “My
name is Jimmy boy”! “What is your father’s name”? I reply “Jim”. Ah, it says here that his name is
Vincenzo?? Three years later my brother Dave is the same class and the teacher asks “didn't I have
your brother Vincenzo in this class about Three years ago”? He looks at her kind of strange and
answers “uh uh, my brothers name is Jimmy”!
We jump several years ahead and I marry my first wife Miss Marilyn Perry; lovely lady and the mother of
my children. That lasted about thirteen years, we have some problems, get divorced and we’re off and
running. That was almost 35 years ago, I still love her dearly and we get along today like as good as we
ever have. I thank her for three beautiful children.
WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU HEARD OR SAID THE FOLLOWING:
“That was a great meal you should write a cookbook,” but how many really do it? I started putting notes
together for this book over fifteen years ago and at that time it was just kind of a hobby. At that time, I
only wanted to put a few recipes together for my friends and guests that had come over for dinner from
time to time. As I look back, I always had the bug in me to open a joint.
My first venture into the restaurant business was in 1977. It was a small place in Cranston, RI that sat
about 35 with a kitchen not much bigger than an over-sized walk-in closet. What the hell did I know
about the restaurant business other than eating out a lot; I enjoyed cooking and what I did cook was
good?? My cousin Judy, whom I was very close to, was a waitress and jumps into the picture because it
was something that she always wanted to do also. Wow! What else did we need, God, it looked so easy?
I would cook and Judy would wait tables. We had a little money, very little, just enough to buy some
food. The joint was fully equipped and all we had to do was pay rent. As the song goes; “WE’RE IN THE
MONEY, WE’RE IN THE MONEY.” YEAH!
This is gun-na-be great! This was a storefront business that looked like an old dry cleaners with no
parking except a few spots in the street. But, you have to look at the good side; at least what we
thought was the good side. We had a bingo on one side that could seat about 300. We’ll grab them for
dinner or food to go before they go into the bingo hall. Well the bingo hall parking was way in the back
of the building with a rear entrance, which seemed like a mile hike to the restaurant. But, there are all
these old mills around and they have to eat somewhere! Well, we never did get much of the bologna
sandwich lunch crew. Besides the fact that they had to cross a main thoroughfare that had no cross
walks or stop lights to even get them to us safely.
That’s OK, we still had an ace in the hole. The disco on the other side of us could hold 500-600 on a
good night; we have to get some of that action!! And, we’ll serve a late night breakfast because they
have got to be hungry by closing time. Well the disco had a 1:00 AM license and the city or Providence
was open till 2:00; they flew out of there so fast to grab last call in Providence they didn't’t even take
the time to get a coffee to go. As it turned out, I got to know the Operation Managers quite well. After
seeing me bust my buns day in day out they felt sorry for me and gave me the food concession in the
club for free. It seemed like a good idea at the time and with this kind of atmosphere they have got to
be hungry. WRONG!
Now, not far from us was a breakfast and lunch place with off street parking that was doing a land office
business??? It was not until a year or so later when I sold the place to some other unsuspecting sole
that I realized what it was to work a 20-hour day. And, as for my competitor down the road that had the
gold mine, he lasted a few more years until the place was raided and closed by the State Police as a
book making operation. Who says crime doesn't pay.
It was not too long after my visit to fantasy land that I went back into the electronics business. I got a
call from a family like friend of mine, Dick Pizzuti, saying that his brother Everett was looking for a
salesman. Dick and I have been best of friends for over 55 years and his brother just happens to be
the President of the company. I interviewed successfully with Everett and the CEO and the next thing I
knew, I walking out the door with a box full of electronics equipment, a plane ticket in my hand and a
packed suitcase; I was off and running. The job happed to be almost a 90% travel position all over North
America but what the hell. I was recently divorced, young enough to handle this rigorous schedule and
full of piss and vinegar. Let me at-um.
Not too long after that I was promoted and moved out to the West Coast to open our first Regional Sales
Office. That lasted about three and a half years then I was brought back to become the International
Sales Manager. For years I traveled the world, set up Rep organizations in 30-35 countries, put well
over a million miles in the air and had the opportunity to see cultures and eat foods beyond ones
comprehension. As a matter of fact, I had quite a collection of bathrobes. When you’re up-graded in a
hotel because of being a frequent visitor you get a great room with a bathrobe, comp cocktail hour and
in some cases fresh fruit in your room.
Now, these bathrobes are not cheap so I had to learn how to steal them. It’s not like taking towels, if
they’re missing, they just add it to your credit card; I can see my boss looking at that on my expense
report. “Paolino get in here”! So what do you do, you get creative. Usually in a hotel there is some
storage area for dirty laundry like the service elevator area a stairwell, whatever. I would not use my
robe that was nicely wrapped in plastic and ready to be scoffed so you tuck it in your suitcase. Early in
the morning just before your ready to check out you go to that dirty laundry room that you scouted out
the night before. You grab a dirty robe and throw it in your room. Now, the guy that used it has already
gotten credit from the maid and you get credit when it’s still in your room. WALLA! A monogrammed robe
from the Hong Kong Hilton.
When I was transferred to the West Coast I was dating a young girl a few years older than my daughter. I
didn’t want to go alone so I married her and it was off to LA. My lady, who’s name I will not mention to
save her the embarrassment, loved swordfish. So, once or twice a week we might have swordfish; once
cooked on our patio and/or once out to dinner. The more customer entertaining I did the more she
would complain about us going to restaurants that didn’t serve swordfish. “This is my swordfish night”.
When she went the fish went; I never ate fish again. If I’m cooking fish or trying something new I do take
a little taste now and then but just can’t seem to get that big swallow down. When we moved back to RI,
I think the final straw in our divorce was over a boat. She wouldn’t take her car out of the garage so I
could my put bass boat in it; you’re out-a-here. (Only joking).
After about 15 years of traveling the world selling electronics equipment clocking just over a million
miles in the air, it was time for a change. In 1992 I took most of the summer and fall off just living on my
new boat like the Life of Riley. After several months the light went off; you’re going to run out of money
dummy, get a job. I did, I bought myself a restaurant. 20 hours a day here we come. It was a long
established successful location under different ownership’s and always Italian. When we bought it the
name was Pasta Pronto, which shortly thereafter we renamed The Tuscany Grille.
We had a brilliant young chef; a little too ego minded for me and then again, most good chefs are. I do
have to say he was good as well as creative. We took a traditional Italian menu to a Nuovo Italian one
and Tuscany Grille was almost an instant success. The food critics were very good to us with some
great reviews not to mention customers calling for directions from 75-100 miles away. As time went on
our friendship was deteriorating and we parted ways after almost four years.
For the next year and a half or so I was a manager at Andino’s restaurant on Federal Hill in Providence.
Andino’s is one of the most recognized older Italian restaurants in the State; the food is excellent. At
this time I want to thank my old friend Andino for sharing some of his specialty recipes with us; look for
them, they are quite unique.
Federal Hill is also one of the oldest Italian neighborhoods in the country from its immigration till today.
Although times have changed and there are no longer pushcarts in the streets and barrels on fire to
keep the merchants warm in the winter, it has still retained some of its character and historic value. As
a matter of fact I come from da hill. Not to give Italians all the heat but at one time it supposedly was the
home of the New England crime boss and as a well-known hangout for wise guys. With all do respect,
years ago, your wife could walk down the street at 2:00 AM safely and she would be looked after like a
hawk. Today, “fuggetaboutit."
The next restaurant venture was THE GASLIGHT in East Greenwich’ RI. Now this was getting into big
time; the place was beautiful. It could seat 185, 2 bars and a cocktail lounge with nightly entertainment,
a grill in the dining room and the captain’s table in the kitchen that could seat 6. My first chef in the
kitchen was Mario Santilli one of the best sauté chefs I know. Mario has had several joints of his own
and I was lucky to get him. Mario was with us a little over a year then went on to open another place of
his own; he was replaced by Tony Gonzales. Tony was one of our chefs at Tuscany Grille then came to
the Gaslight as our grill chef in the dining room. Tony was quite versatile and could cook just about
anything and probably one of the fastest guys behind the line I know. He is now the Executive Chef of
the Trinity Brew house in Providence.
The Gaslight had excellent food and some great reviews but unfortunately fell into the 92% restaurant
fatality rate in a little over two years. The two main reasons restaurants fail is poor management and
under funding. A project of this magnitude needed about 50-75K of working capital to survive. After
remodeling expences I was left with just under 10k and out of that I had to stock food and liquor.
Needless to say we ran out of money. The next time I go into the restaurant business it is going to be
with someone else’s money. I sometimes I still think about it; do you ever learn your lesson?? After this
fiasco I helped several friends get their kitchens up and running and now my only cooking is for the
wine club because it’s fun and of course for this dumb book!
AUTHORS BIO