I was born Frank Anthony Competelli, to everyone now, I am known as just Frankie. I was born in NYC on August 4th, 1945 to Rose and Anthony, and became the new baby brother of Carmine, who was 17 years my elder. My parents were natives of New York; my grandparents came from Naples in 1906. I grew up in the lower east side of New York on Mulberry Street, where we ran the streets and played stick ball until the sun went down. Our mothers used to scream from the balconies when they wanted us home- and we could always hear their voices from a mile away. At the age of 5, my mother passed away leaving the three of us boys to take care of one another. I was forced to adulthood virtually overnight and I became a man, faster then any boy my age anticipated. Yes I had the help of my brother and father, but there is nothing like having your mother’s gentle touch there to care for you. Out of all the things I had taken on, it was cooking that I enjoyed the most. That is when I realized it was my passion.
