DiMattia's Food Fight Podcast

In this episode of the DiMattia’s Food Fight Podcast, Brian sits down with Chef David Ciminelli, the head chef running the kitchen at Captain’s at Harvey’s Lake.

David’s journey into the culinary world isn’t the typical chef story. Cooking wasn’t always the dream — it started as a way to make money and survive. What began out of necessity eventually turned into a full-blown lifestyle and career.

Before stepping behind the line in professional kitchens, David was actually working as a professional piercer. From tattoo shop culture to the high-pressure environment of restaurant kitchens, his path took a wild turn that ultimately led him to where he is today — leading the kitchen at one of the most well-known restaurants on Harvey’s Lake.

We talk about:

• David’s unexpected path from piercer to chef

• How cooking evolved from a paycheck into a passion

• The reality of working in restaurant kitchens

• Lessons learned along the way

• What it takes to run a kitchen today

It’s a great origin story about adapting, evolving, and finding your place in life — even if it wasn’t the original plan.

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Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947!

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

Arcaro & Genell

In this episode of DiMattia’s Food Fight, we sit down with the crew from Smash Master Wrasslin’ to talk about the world of indie professional wrestling in Northeastern Pennsylvania, what it takes to become a wrestler, and why those bumps in the ring are very real.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947!

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

Arcaro & Genell

This week on DiMattia’s Food Fight, I sat down with my friends Danielle and Michelle for something deeper than a podcast episode… this was a real conversation.

We talked about recovery. We shared stories. We laughed, we cried, and we reminisced about the roads that brought us here.

No script. No structure. Just three people being real.

Join the fight.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947!

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

Arcaro & Genell

And this week on the DiMattia’s Food Fight Podcast, I sit down with Tyler Connor of DaVinci’s Pizza on the Square in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Tyler took over an established pizzeria with no background in making pizza… and turned himself into “the pizza guy.”

We get into what it’s really like to be a small business owner and taking over a restaurant, learning a craft from scratch, building something of your own, and earning respect in a tight-knit pizza community.

We also talk about giving back, being part of the community, and what it takes to survive and grow in today’s restaurant world.

This is a true up-and-comer story.

Join the fight.

Full episode available anywhere you listen to podcasts, and full video on YouTube - same name as this page.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

This week on the DiMattia’s Food Fight Podcast, I sit down with my friend Mando Sallavanti, and while we’re both from Old Forge, Pennsylvania, our paths couldn’t have been more different or more aligned.

There’s nearly a 20-year age gap between us, which made this conversation even more powerful. We talked openly about financial advising, money struggles, and what it really looks like to be broke, humbled, and slowly climb your way back. I shared my own experience over the last year after hitting rock bottom financially and finally getting back on my feet, while Mando opened up about his journey finding direction and purpose.

We also reflected on success in high school, failures in college, and that uncomfortable but necessary period of life where you’re just trying to figure out who you are and where you’re going. Mando’s story of self-discovery is relatable, honest, and still being written.

We even touched on the Dancing with the Stars of Wilkes-Barre, where Mando performed last year and where I’ll be stepping onto the stage this year—proving that growth often happens when you say yes to things that scare you.

This was an all-around great conversation with wo friends from the same town, different generations, sitting down to discuss the paths that shaped us, the lessons we learned the hard way, and what it means to keep moving forward.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

My guest this week is one of my best friends who I also get to work with everyday, Tyler "The Full" Monney! We talk about Good Tree MMA just celebrating 3 years in business and how our friendship has developed over those years.

Also, with the food pyramid being "flipped" recently , we get into the state of health in this country!

Join us in the Fight!!!

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Key Ford of Exeter - Connecting the community one food fight at a time!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Captain's on Harvey's Lake.

A Fight for Life conversation that starts with a surprise ring-name intro and turns into a real look at early mornings, career choices, and identity. We talk about waking up at 3 AM for nonstop newscasts, the pull between law and journalism, how anxiety shaped the path (and how it’s managed today), plus food, growing up in NEPA, Penn State roots, and the unexpected reminder that we first met at a kielbasa festival.

Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Key Ford of Exeter

Your hometown Ford dealer, proudly serving NEPA.

Genoa Wholesale Foods

Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947

https://www.genoafoods.com/

Tommy Munley Law

📞 570-346-1300

Ask for Tommy Munley!

Demetri Patitsas sat down with me to talk about what it really means to chase the American dream. Born in Greece, Demetri came to the United States looking for opportunity — not guarantees — and his journey is a perfect example of what happens when hard work meets belief and patience.

We talk about the early days of the grind, starting with ice cream carts, learning how to connect with people, manage long days, and earn every dollar the hard way. That hustle eventually turned into a Greek food cart, then a food truck, and finally into brick-and-mortar businesses built on family, tradition, and authentic Greek food done the right way.

This episode goes beyond food. We get into mindset, risk, mentorship, family involvement, and the uncomfortable decisions that come with growth. Demetri shares the lessons he learned along the way, the mistakes that shaped him, and why staying rooted in your culture while adapting to your environment can be your biggest advantage.

If you’re building something from scratch, thinking about taking the leap, or just love hearing real stories about how businesses are actually made — this episode is for you.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Carley’s Fairy Tail Dog Grooming: 8 N Main St, Pittston, PA 18640. Call 541-410-9582

Tommy Munley Law - 570-346-1300. Ask for Tommy Munley!

I sit down with Kyle Popish, a recovery specialist and gambling addiction specialist, for a real and honest conversation about addiction and recovery—how both have shaped our lives in very different ways.

We talk openly about drug addiction, gambling addiction, and the similarities people don’t always see between them. As the host, this episode hit close to home for me. Before the podcast, I worked as a casino dealer for nine years, so the conversation around gambling addiction was especially powerful and personal.

This episode isn’t about judgment or labels—it’s about awareness, understanding, and the realities of addiction in all its forms. Recovery looks different for everyone, but the fight is something many of us share.

This was an important conversation, and one I’m proud to share.

If you or anybody need help, please reach out to someone!

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Carley’s Fairy Tail Dog Grooming: 8 N Main St, Pittston, PA 18640. Call 541-410-9582

Tommy Munley Law - 570-346-1300. Ask for Tommy Munley!

On this episode, I sit down with Domenico Buonsante of Cibo’s Pizza Food Truck.

We talk about life on the road, New York pizza roots, the grind of running a food truck, and the reality of today’s food industry — rising costs, festivals, and staying consistent while being everywhere in NEPA.

Real pizza. Real hustle. Real talk.

Thank You To My Sponsors!

Genoa Wholesale Foods: Servicing the Pizza & Restaurant Industry Since 1947! https://www.genoafoods.com/

Carley’s Fairy Tail Dog Grooming: 8 N Main St, Pittston, PA 18640. Call 541-410-9582

Tommy Munley Law - 570-346-1300. Ask for Tommy Munley!