These past couple of weeks, I have been drooling over a recent project… literally. For those who live in NYC and have heard of Fornino, then you’ll understand. Fornino is a pizza restaurant with four locations, and it just so happens to be where my husband and I had our very first date, before we knew it would turn into a forever kind of love. Pizza is also one of my absolute favorite foods, and if you’re one of those people who throws out the crust like my husband does… shame on you. That’s the best part! Give it to me, I’ll eat it! Yes, I am a carb addict and proud of it.
But I digress. A few weeks ago, Chris Petescia from Carrot asked me if I could design a proposal for Fornino. It’s amazing how God reveals His intention for certain moments in your life, as this is a restaurant I hold near and dear to my heart for obvious reasons. My response to this request was a resounding “YES!” and though my dreams of being a chef may never come to fruition at this juncture in my life, an opportunity to work with a head chef on a design project is a close second. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Michael Ayoub, head chef and owner of Fornino, whose positivity, passion and drive are simply inspiring.
The task at hand was to design a proposal book for Fornino—they are in the running to be the sole food and beverage experience at The New York Wheel. If you haven’t heard of it, The New York Wheel is a project located in Staten Island and slated for 2017. Think “London Eye,” but in New York. This is going to be a massive attraction and a BIG deal for Fornino if they win it. Thankfully, Michael trusted me entirely to cook up a rockstar design with some NYC edge (pun intended). His humble and down to earth personality afforded a wonderful working relationship—the kind that most people dream of having.
We slaved away at 44-page book—Michael gathering content while I created a unique, yet simple design to establish Fornino as a front runner. Our conversations over the phone were a mix of information and laughs, as this book morphed into a delectable masterpiece. Our fingers are crossed as we await the final selection, but in my opinion there’s no better choice than this incredible group of renowned chefs who can create an upscale food and beverage experience that only authentic New Yorkers can provide.
I am so grateful to have been blessed with this opportunity. If I could point out two things that have been abundantly clear over this past month as a freelancer, it’s been the importance of trusting God’s purpose and the beauty of establishing positive relationships. If you love what you do, you’ll leave an impression on everyone you meet without even realizing it. Every touchpoint in your life is intentional and you never know what may get tossed in your direction down the road. It just may be the perfect slice of pepperoni pizza!
