The Westchester dining scene has been simmering in New York City’s backyard. A few acclaimed chefs have made their way up the Hudson River, succumbing to high city rents, among other reasons. And residents here have become savvy to good restaurants, and have steadily come to expect the same quality of food and service closer to home.

The 2020 Michelin Guide has now included eight Westchester County eateries on its Bib Gourmand list, which includes Maria in New Rochelle, a hit restaurant that is just over a year old. This list highlights restaurants that offer two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (excluding tax and gratuity).

Giovanni Cucullo, who wears the hats of executive chef, co-owner and operator, not only knows food, but people, too. Despite Maria’s ever-growing hype, he still takes the time to humbly greet you, and along with his team, make sure you leave happier than when you stepped past the restaurant’s vestibule. 

“It’s been quite a ride,” Cucullo says with a smile when I ask him to reflect on the past 12 months. “One of my dear friends via text message said to me, ‘I guess you’ve exceeded your expectations.’ And I have. I’m never satisfied, I’m always looking for what’s next.”

Maria is named after the Cucullo matriarch, who taught her children how to cook. The food here is described as new Italian, with a healthy dose of options drawing inspiration from other cuisines. You’ll find pork ribs with shiso and sesame alongside garganelli with white veal bolognese. 

But perhaps the most popular dish which helped Maria win Best New Restaurant at this year’s Westchester Magazine’s Best Of list is the light, fluffy, homemade gnocchi that somehow stands up to a robust oxtail ragu.

“Maria is a tribute, so I have to stay true to those roots, and represent from whence I came. I’ve gotta give props to mom,” Cucullo says. He also listens to staff and customers, and keeps an eye on trends and what other eateries are up to. “I have to keep myself happy. I need a creative outlet where I can play and experiment…. And I rarely eat Italian when I go out. That’s where I get ideas,” he adds.

Cucullo says that Michelin recognition was one of the last things on his mind, as the 22-year-old list has only opened up to Westchester this year. He suspects inspectors dropped by in the spring, and that it is all a secretive process until annual lists are published. “I was shocked,” he mused, recalling his earlier days where he and fellow chefs would use the guide and the Bib Gourmand list to scope out places to explore in NYC for dinner.

Chef Cucullo paused, staring out into the dining room during lunchtime. “To be one of eight restaurants in Westchester [on the Bib Gourmand list] is phenomenal. It’s dream-like,” he says. “I’m honored and humbled… but at the same time, it’s about time that Westchester got recognized. To see Maria next to a David Chang [one of his culinary heroes] restaurant, it’s sweet.”

Cucullo knows that he is blessed to have this attention only a year in; I need not remind you of how most new restaurants fair within their first year. “I’m lucky to be surrounded by people who actually care; that’s the simplest necessity in this business,” he adds. 

I asked him about what changes he has noticed in Westchester’s food scene over the years. “The whole county is exploding. It makes sense because we’re so close to New York City,” he says. “We have so much talent inside, and coming from outside. We also have a very smart clientele. Now they can rush home from work and eat out here. I love to see that.”

Cucullo credits two key events in the dining scene that showed Westchester’s drive for better eateries: renowned Chef Peter Kelly opening Xaviars X2O on the Hudson in Yonkers in the summer of 2007; and the fall 2008 opening of Tarry Lodge in Port Chester by Joe Bastianich and disgraced Chef Mario Batali, which is closing in November, but reopening some time in 2021. “People would not want to spend $20 or so on a pasta dish up here, they’d go to the city to eat out. Now, that has changed. It’s quite interesting,” Cucullo says, also attributing the Food Network and Cooking Channel as another factor in the increased demand for quality dining. “Now Westchester is turned up,” he chuckles.

In closing, I asked Cucullo if there was any memory at Maria that stood out to him. He again looks off in the distance, before saying, “One of the great moments was when I brought my father into the space. He didn’t see [Maria] come to fruition, but he knew what we were doing.” 

Maria Restaurant

11 Huguenot Street, New Rochelle

914.636.0006