When chef Matt Florentine took over the kitchen at Rino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, he brought huge respect for the storied history and wonderful food foundation at the 31-year-old restaurant. He’s been slowly adding his style and touches to that, and customers couldn’t be more pleased.
“It’s a work in progress,” chef Matt explained. “We’re focusing on the best of Rino’s—the seafood lasagna, for example—and moving the rest of the menu forward while keeping favorites alive. We’re taking the focus on fresh, approachable and family-friendly to the next level.”
Chef Matt’s path wasn’t originally pointed toward the kitchen. He holds a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Delaware in Newark, but like many starving students he fell into restaurant work—and then fell in love with it. He started at a local Newark hangout and wound his way through the ranks. When he returned to this area, he worked at a mix of fine dining and upscale casual spots, including Brickside Grille and The Drafting Room.
“Being in the kitchen becomes a lifestyle; it pulls you in,” chef Matt added. “You find a passion for the work and fall in love with it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
That passion has translated into a streamlined menu of American family cuisine with an Italian focus, starting with the favorites that have been satisfying customers for more than three decades and adding a few new gems. The smaller menu means virtually everything is made in-house. When he does source something, he uses long-time trusted vendors like Springfield Pasta.
“We couldn’t possibly hand-make all the pastas we go through in a day, so we found the best,” chef Matt said. “Springfield Pasta is all-natural, no preservatives and no artificial ingredients. Our standards are that high for any partner we use.”
It’s the little touches he’s brought to Rino’s that are turning heads. The restaurant still serves up pizzas, calzones, sandwiches and other customer favorites, but chef Matt has “upscaled” it a bit to show that Rino’s can and does hit the next level. Try the soul-warming Veal Coletta, milk-fed veal sautéed in the chef’s white wine butter sauce and topped with Parma prosciutto, grilled zucchini and melted fresh mozzarella. Or Abbruzzie Di Pesce, succulent shrimp or sweet crab and albacore tuna simmered in spicy Abbruzzie sauce and tossed with penne pasta.
Customers even remark on the plate presentation, and chef Matt loves that, noting that visually taking in your meal is the first step to enjoying it.
A tight menu means chef Matt has the time to focus on a robust list of featured specials, six to eight items with the same homemade heritage as the rest of the menu. Hungry diners will find two appetizer specials, two specialty pies, a featured burger and two to three dinner specials.
It also means Rino’s can mount more of its popular special events, like Beer School and now Chef’s Tastings. Beer School is held almost monthly, but the new Chef’s Tastings will be done seasonally—and will surely sell out. Chef Matt will create four to five small-plate courses paired with the appropriate beer or wine. Expect to see him wandering the crowd during the event, explaining pairings and mingling with customers.
“Chef’s Tastings give customers the chance to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse,” chef Matt said. “And it gives me the chance to connect with our customers. This is a family business, and our customers are part of that family.”
When he’s not at Rino’s, Chef Matt enjoys cooking up his mom’s and grandmother’s Czechoslovakian and Hungarian comfort foods. As recipes were handed down by doing in the kitchen, there are no written instructions to follow. His challenge continues to be “getting it just right” when he whips up chicken paprikash, spaetzle or any number of Christmas cookies.
When pressed for a favorite dish, chef Matt fessed up it’s a really good macaroni and cheese. “Food needs to be friendly and comfortable. It can be artwork, but you have to eat it, eventually.”
Stop by Rino’s and say hello to chef Matt. Upcoming special events include a December 17 Beer School and a Chef’s Tasting coming in January. Keep an eye on Rino’s events and its Facebook page for all the delicious details.
Find Rino’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria at 315 E. Lancaster Ave. in Exton; phone: (610) 363-0515.
- Chef photo: Nina Malone
- Food photos: Matthew Florentine
- Food photos: Matthew Florentine
