The Early Morning Hustle of an Unsung Staten Island Pastry Chef

Originally published on Extra Crispy, July 2016.
Words by Jonathan Schultz, Photographs by Melanie Dunea.

"New York City doesn’t give up its culinary gems gladly. Interminable subway rides, wallet-exploding bridge tolls and gobs of unclaimed time are usually required to pursue them. Hunger notwithstanding, a vague hope—not at all assured—stokes the hunter’s fires: that the journey might yield contact with unsung, un-blogged brilliance. Vincenzo Scalici is the breakfast pastry and dessert baker at Andrew’s Diner on Staten Island. He reports to work at 5 a.m., and by 6:20 a.m. has filled the counter case with delights both expected and exceptional. All of them are good, but some will spoil you for any other diner—and maybe any other bakery."