by Mike Schnitzel
Gannascoli, a long-time Brooklyn resident, moved to East Rockaway about two months ago after marrying Diana Benincasa, of Lynbrook, on June 11.
"I thought I would miss Brooklyn, but I really love it out here," said Gannascoli, who added that he wanted to become active in the community.
"I would like to join the Knights of Columbus," said Gannascoli. "I want to do what I can to support the community."
Gannascoli contributed pictures and posters that were raffled off at the Souprano's Wedding, an evening hosted by the St. Mary's Council of the Knights of Columbus on September 24. John Capobianco was the winner of the raffle to become Gannascoli's assistant for the day on the set of the Sopranos.
Gannascoli, who worked as a chef for 20 years and had his own restaurants in Brooklyn, hopes to open a restaurant in the area, preferably in East Rockaway.
"I either want to do a hamburger and hot dog place or a tablecloth/bar type restaurant," said Gannascoli. "My background is in French cooking, but I like eclectic menus."
Using his passion for cooking as an inspiration, Gannascoli has written a novel called "A Meal to Die For." According to Gannascoli, the novel, which comes out in January, is about Benny Lacoco, a chef who loses everything gambling and becomes a food fence for the mob.
"He hijacks shrimp, puts fake labels on wine, things like that," said Gannascoli.
After finding out that a member has been talking to federal agents, the mafiosi ask Benny to prepare him a final meal. The meal consists of ten courses, and the recipe for each course leads into a chapter.
Gannascoli has been busy recently filming the sixth season of the Sopranos, which will see his character, Vito Spatafore, have a huge season.
"It's Vito's time," said Gannascoli. "He's really coming into his own this year."
Gannascoli came onto the Sopranos scene as a character named Gino in a bakery scene during the first season of the Sopranos.
"Benicio Del Toro introduced me to a casting director, who got me the role as Gino," said Gannascoli. "They liked me, so they brought me back as Vito."
According to Gannascoli, Vito could have been a background character with just a few lines per episode, until a book that he was reading gave him an idea that put a whole new light on the character.
"I was reading 'Murder Machine' by Jerry Capeci, and they had a member of [mafia executioner] Roy DeMeo's crew who was openly gay," said Gannascoli. "I suggested to the writers that we make Vito gay. Nothing came of it at first, but then they came back to me and we went with it."
When not busy with filming and writing, Gannascoli has been pitching an idea for a show he calls "Foodball." On the show, Gannascoli plans to combine sports talk with cooking.
"Say for example I have on Michael Strahan," said Gannascoli. "I'd ask him if he has any particular meal he eats before a game. I'd show some clips of him playing football, then we'd move to the kitchen and talk sports while preparing a meal."
For more information on the latest from Joe Gannascoli, you can visit his website, www.joesoup.com.
