Antonio Zuccarelli

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Antonio “Tonino” Zuccarelli on May 14, 2023. Born on June 14, 1950, Antonio was a man of many passions, who brought joy and love to everyone fortunate enough to have known him.

Antonio is survived by his beloved wife, Palma, daughters, Lucianne, Angela, and Antonietta Zuccarelli, and his 5 precious grandchildren, Nicolette, Viola, Giancarlo, Luciana, and Giuliana. His brothers Teodoro and Silvio, and all his nephews and nieces. A Celebration of life for Antonio will be held on July 1, 2023, at 9:30 AM at Saint Ambrose Catholic Church.

Antonio or Tonino as all friends and family called him as an affectionate gesture, was born in a small town of Calabria Italy on June 14, 1950, just the day after his Name Day. The feast of Saint Anthony is celebrated every June 13, and as customary we celebrated Tonino every year on both his name day and his birthday. Tonino grew up as a happy and friendly kid and attracted many people with his fun personality resulting in having many good childhood friends and many friends all over the parts of the world that he lived in such as Italy, Holland, Germany and United States. He has a degree from a college in Cosenza (the nearest city to his hometown in Calabria) of mechanical engineering which he professed in Europe for a short time, but when he moved to the United States, with his parents and four brothers in 1972, his love and interest of cooking and learning new ideas in cooking was a stronger calling. So, Tonino or Tony, as they all called him in the states, worked in several well-known and respected restaurants in New York where his goal was to learn new ways of cooking and teach his new creations. As an established chef he pursued opening his own place. He got the opportunity in Florida, starting with a pizza place with his brother Tommaso and then moving into the love and goal of restaurants by creating first a “Roaring 20’s” restaurant, an idea he had to bring back the ambiance of 1920. When you stepped into the Roaring 20’s Restaurant you were taken into a world of dreams and culinary perfection for that hour or two you spent in Tony’s place. That was his goal to give his customers an experience to enjoy and taste. He opened several other restaurants since then in both Florida and North Carolina. His recipes are still used today in some of the restaurants he owned. After many years as a chef, his real love as he told his brother Ted was to open a unique Italian Seafood restaurant where the recipe changes every day and where people came to be part of a family. He also had plans laid out of how the flow of this type of restaurant would capture his customers from the time they stepped in until they left the establishment. Unfortunately, life gets in the way of your dreams and this one never materialized. Tonino was a true visionary and creative talented person.

Antonio had a true zest for life, and his interests were vast. He enjoyed everything from Pavarotti and the Rolling Stones to Opera to Renaissance art. As a talented chef, Antonio found comfort in playing the accordion sometimes for his customers, and a lot for his family. He cherished spending time with his family, friends, and good food. Antonio also loved taking long walks in beautiful places and had a particular fondness for vacationing in Florence, Munich, and his Calabrian region.

His personality was best described as genuinely warm, loving, and deeply romantic. Tony’s love for his family and friends was unconditional, and his presence could brighten any room. His passions extended to his love of music, laughter, and he liked spending his quite times reading books about art and of course about the regional cooking in Italy.

Antonio’s greatest accomplishments include the beautiful family he created and loved unconditionally. To Tonino his family was everything, and sometimes he gave up his personal goals to make sure his family was taken care of, as he always said “La famiglia e sacra”, family is sacred. He taught those around him to enjoy life, find comedy in unexpected places, and to love one another with every ounce of their being, to turn hate into love. His legacy will be one of love, humor, kindness, and generosity; Antonio will be dearly missed by his all family and all the people who knew him. People that Tonino touched with his words, his comedy, his food, and especially his heart all agree he was a beautiful person and now a beautiful angel.

His family fondly remembers him and will always love him. Tony was the best, prettiest daddy in the world, say his daughters. His spirit and the lessons he shared will live on in the hearts of those who loved him. Riposa in Pace, Tonino. You will forever be in our hearts until we meet again.

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