Some places don't just feed you; they shape you. The old-school red sauce joints of North Jersey and New York are more than just restaurants, they're cultural landmarks where Sunday gravy simmers for hours, families gather in dining rooms, and entire communities find their identity one plate at a time.

On this edition of Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates welcomes in Tony Mangia, creator and host of At the Table with Tony, a storyteller devoted to preserving the heart of Italian American heritage. Tony spent years documenting the bakeries, pork stores, parish feasts, and legendary red sauce that defined generations of immigrant families. His work serves as a living archive of the traditions, voices, and flavors of the Italian American experience from the ground up.

Tony takes us inside the history and humanity of these iconic spaces, how immigrant families were able to build a sense of community through food, how recipes became identity, and why protecting these restaurants means protecting a piece of living history. It's a warm, textured conversation about memory, migration, and the places that hold our stories long after the last table is cleared. Because some traditions aren't just preserved, they're lived.

Some places don't just feed you; they shape you. The old-school red sauce joints of North Jersey and New York are more than just restaurants, they're cultural landmarks where Sunday gravy simmers for hours, families gather in dining rooms, and entire communities find their identity one plate at a time.
On this edition of Culinary Confidential, Christina Cates welcomes in Tony Mangia, creator and host of&nbsp;At the Table with Tony, a storyteller devoted to preserving the heart of Italian American heritage. Tony spent years documenting the bakeries, pork stores, parish feasts, and legendary red sauce that defined generations of immigrant families. His work serves as a living archive of the traditions, voices, and flavors of the Italian American experience from the ground up.
Tony takes us inside the history and humanity of these iconic spaces, how immigrant families were able to build a sense of community through food, how recipes became identity, and why protecting these restaurants means protecting a piece of living history. It's a warm, textured conversation about memory, migration, and the places that hold our stories long after the last table is cleared. Because some traditions aren't just preserved, they're lived.

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world.
Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices.
CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM...exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.

Each week, on CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Christina Cates - a seasoned foodie who has worked at some of the New York City's top restaurants, will share her passion for the culinary world. Whether you're a professional chef, a restaurant enthusiast, or a lover of good food, Christina dives into the heart of hospitality - exploring the trends, triumphs, and challenges facing the food service profession...And you won't want to miss her chats with some of the most interesting and influential industry voices. CULINARY CONFIDENTIAL, Sunday nights, at 9PM...exclusively on AM 970 The Answer.