Testimonials

“The King of Queens is not a TV show, but the rightful name of Joe DiStefano. There is nobody I know of in the borough as steeped in the multi-cultural dining of this magnificent diverse borough — its purveyors, chefs, families, neighborhoods, languages, and most importantly, the best of the food itself. There is an excellent reason why Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and other notable TV food personalities have had Joe lead them to Queens' most specialized and interesting ethnic dishes — he is the doctor of delicious, the man who makes it all happen, the discoverer before anybody else finds it.”

— Drew Kerr, Founder & President, Four Corners Communications

“No one understands not just the fabric of food culture in New York City, but every stitch of every pattern, like Joe. He curated a group of two dozen vendors for the launch of Smorgasburg Queens that perfectly showcased the breadth of the borough’s authentic food treasures, pulling from all corners of its sprawling geography and somehow painting a full picture of Queens’ mind-boggling ethnic diversity. He lives and breathes—and eats!—Queens and New York, and when it comes to local flavor, nobody does it better than Joe.”

— Eric Demby,  Co-Founder, Smorgasburg

“Joe has worked with me on a variety of projects ranging from Queens Dinner Club events which promote a restaurant's culture and cuisine, curating fundraisers for Dining For Justice that bring out the best of Queens' chefs for a great cause, and creating events and promotions for Queens Together, a 501c3 organization supporting the restaurants and communities of Queens. I watch Joe successfully work with food businesses large and small to help craft their message and menus for the multicultural customer base that makes up NYC.”

— Jonathan Forgash, Executive Director, Queens Together

“It's Joe's fault that my Google Maps view of Queens is an absolute galaxy of star icons bookmarking all the places he's recommended over the years. And if it's not saved to my phone, all I have to do is search "[food item], Joe DiStefano," and his website—or one of the many publications he's written for—returns the result I need. I know him first and foremost as a food writer, but he's really been a tour guide all along, leading readers online, and food tourists IRL, to some of the best locals-only spots in the city.”

— Adam Kuban, Senior Social Media Manager, NYC & Company

“Joe is a whirlwind of creative ideas, who cultivates connections, inspires and promotes cultural exchanges in unique ways. I have been honored to moderate several panels with Joe for New York's important cultural institution the 92Y and to be a judge for the Charcuterie Masters. I have recommended dozens of people to his tours and all have returned with glowing reviews. Joe is warm, intelligent, witty, wise, and most importantly, is highly reliable, dependable and efficient.”

— Francine Segan, Food Historian, Italian Food Expert