Michael Ayoub is the Chef and Owner of Fornino, a Brooklyn-based artisanal pizzeria that helped ignite New York’s now-legendary pizza renaissance. A chef for over 45 years, Michael is known for acclaimed restaurants like Skaffles and Cucina, and for bringing his wood-fired pizza concept to life in 2004—named after his mother’s maiden name, Fornino (meaning “little oven”).
Since opening, Fornino has grown to having three locations in Brooklyn with a flagship in Greenpoint, an outpost at Time Out Market and a seasonally opened spring and summer location at Pier 6 at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
He tries to take a day off during the middle of the week, often aiming for Wednesdays.
Morning: Coffee, Quiet, and Garden Prep
Even on my day off, I’m up by 6:30am. I take the opportunity to have extra time with my wife. During my mornings off I try to catch up with my wife and see how my kids are doing. I like to hear about the little details over a fresh-ground cup of illy coffee. We spend time together and with our kids.
I spend the rest of the morning in my garden, or I head down to the basement, where I’ve got thousands of trays of seedlings going. Every year I collect seeds to grow them for friends and to supply Rustenburg Farm on Long Island. This year, a friend of mine is getting married on their property, so I am growing about 25 different varieties of flowers that they can walk through during the procession.
Afternoon: Nursery Runs and Tomato Hunting
In the afternoon, I always spend the day off with my wife, whether we go out shopping or run errands. We’re both gardeners so we love to visit the local plant nursery to see what ideas we have for our garden in Southampton. We’re always at the Fornino garden at my home in Southampton. We grow specialty types of tomatoes and vegetables that you just can’t find in stores. I’ve got this thing for tomatoes and cheese which is my whole life. We're growing close to 50 tomato varieties right now. Each one brings a different note to the plate—different colors, acidities, sweetness and it’s really a passion project for me.
Glass Blowing: My Other Furnace
One of the other ways to spend the afternoon is at the glass-blowing studio at Pier Glass in Red Hook. I rent studio space from them. It’s a significant part of the decor at all of my restaurants. It’s also been a longtime hobby of mine—something I’ve been doing for about 20 years now. I’ve worked on projects for hotels in Vegas, Foxwoods, a bunch of restaurants in NYC, including my own and my own home. I like what I do. I am gifted with two hands, and I try to use them as much as I can. There’s something deeply satisfying about it. Unlike food, the permanence of glass is something I admire. Once it cools, it stays.
Evening: Cooking at Home
At the end of the night, my wife and I finally get back home for dinner. We cook together and talk. Being a chef is a lifestyle and isn’t something I turn off when I clock out of work. It’s just who I am. From the moment I wake up, to the moment I put my head on the pillow, I’m thinking about food—how it works, what inspires me, what’s next. My wife and I love cooking together. It’s a different rhythm than the restaurant, but just as rewarding.
