Long before he became one of 60 Certified Master Chefs in the United States, led culinary teams serving presidents, and earned international acclaim as a restaurateur and culinary educator, Alfonso Contrisciani ‘77 was simply a Monsignor Bonner student with two passions: art and hard work.
Growing up in Clifton Heights, Alfonso attended St. Eugene School before arriving at Bonner, where he envisioned a future as an artist.
“I took every art class I could,” he recalls. “I thought I was going to become an artist.”
Outside the classroom, however, life was already teaching him another craft.
Throughout high school, Alfonso worked nearly full-time, taking the trolley after
classes to jobs at the Town Crier Restaurant in Upper Darby and later the Media Motor Lodge Restaurant.
Balancing school and work wasn’t always easy, but it taught him discipline and responsibility at an early age.
“I wasn’t an A student because I worked so much,” he says. “But the brothers and teachers at Bonner were incredibly supportive.”
It was during his senior year that an executive chef at the Media Motor Lodge recognized Alfonso’s natural ability in the kitchen and encouraged him to consider culinary school.
“I never thought about becoming a chef,” he says. “Then I realized cooking was where food and art came together.”
That realization changed the course of his life.
After graduating from Bonner, Alfonso enrolled at Johnson & Wales University, earning an associate degree in culinary arts before quickly rising through the hospitality industry. By age 21, he was already serving as a sous chef, and just a few years later, at 26, he managed a staff of more than 500 employees as an executive chef at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City.
“It happened very fast,” he says. “I was managing people who were 20 or 30 years older than I was.”
Yet while his culinary career accelerated, another lifelong passion was growing alongside it.
Growing More Than Food
As a teenager, Alfonso spent countless hours hunting and exploring farms with his father in rural Pennsylvania. Those experiences sparked a fascination with agriculture that would eventually shape his philosophy as a chef.
At just 21 years old, he purchased his first 12-acre farm in southern New Jersey, growing tomatoes, peppers, corn, and other produce long before organic farming became mainstream.
“I realized procurement was one of the most important parts of cooking,” he says. “If I wanted the freshest ingredients, I should grow them myself.”
That philosophy continues today.
Alfonso now owns three farms, including a 100-acre certified organic farm that supplies fresh ingredients for his restaurants, bakery, catering company, and Oliver Farms line of sauces.
His signature pomodoro sauce reflects both his Italian heritage and his scientific approach to cooking.
“Tomatoes are a fruit,” he explains. “My sauce never comes to a boil. I only heat it to about 190 degrees because high heat damages the flavor and the nutrients. Every ingredient reaches its optimal point together.”
It’s an approach that blends culinary artistry with chemistry, biology, and nutrition.
A World-Class Career
Over the past four decades, Alfonso’s career has taken him around the globe.
As Vice President of Culinary Development for Centerplate, he oversaw food operations at major convention centers across the country and orchestrated multiple presidential dinners in Washington, D.C., including events surrounding President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
He’s opened restaurants from Atlantic City to Las Vegas and even developed a restaurant concept in South Africa inspired by the flavors of Mozambique.
Along the way, Alfonso served as captain and coach of the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team, helping develop award-winning dishes showcasing American ingredients on the world stage. Collectively, he has earned more than 75 national and international culinary awards, including 36 gold medals in international competition.
Today, he owns Alfonso’s Italian Steakhouse, a bakery, catering company, and multiple farms in Ohio, employing approximately 45 people.
Despite those accomplishments, Alfonso says his work still comes back to the same principles he learned decades ago.
The Science Behind Every Menu
Many people think cooking is simply creativity, but Alfonso sees it as engineering.
Every menu, he explains, is built through careful analysis of food costs, labor, customer behavior, and profitability.
Everything from the placement of menu items to typography and layout influences customer choices.
“There’s a science behind menu engineering,” he says. “Every dish has a contribution margin. Where you place it on the menu matters.”
Technology plays an increasingly important role as well.
“If you want to be around tomorrow, you have to keep up with modern technology,” he says. “Artificial intelligence and data are becoming essential tools in business.”
But while technology helps restaurants operate efficiently, Alfonso believes it should never replace quality ingredients or thoughtful preparation.
His kitchens avoid genetically modified ingredients whenever possible, prepare sauces from scratch, and emphasize fresh produce from local farms.
“I want people to eat food that’s wholesome and unadulterated,” he says. “Food should sustain life.”
Leading People First
For Alfonso, success has never been measured solely by awards or restaurants.
It’s measured by people.
Throughout his career, as an executive chef, hospitality dean, business owner, and mentor, he has discovered that leadership begins with understanding those around you.
“Every person is different,” he says. “You have to find common ground with people and give them the tools they need to succeed.”
One lesson has remained with him for years, borrowed from hospitality leader Steve Wynn.
“He believed the organizational chart should be upside down,” Alfonso explains. “The customer is at the top, and the leader is at the bottom.
If your employees are successful, you’ll be successful.”
It’s a philosophy Alfonso continues to practice across every one of his businesses.
Looking Back
Nearly 50 years after graduating from Monsignor Bonner, Alfonso still speaks warmly about his hometown and his high school experience.
“I had a great upbringing in Clifton Heights,” he says. “Back then, nobody locked their doors. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
When he reflects on everything that followed — from international
competitions and presidential dinners
to organic farming and entrepreneurship
— he still credits Bonner with giving him the foundation.
“Bonner taught me discipline,” he says. “Going to an all-boys private school was one of the best things that could have happened to me.”
For a young man who once dreamed of becoming an artist, it turns out he did.
Only instead of working with canvas
and paint, Alfonso found his masterpiece in the kitchen, creating meals that nourish both body and soul.