Montclair Chef Partners with New York Jets Cooking School at New York City Wine and Food Festival

Montclair chef and partner of Montclair’s Pig & Prince Restaurant and Gastrolounge, Michael Carrino, had one heck of a weekend mingling with Food Network star and world-famous chef Mario Batali and New York Jets legend Joe Namath at this year’s NYC Wine and Food Festival.

Carrino attended the festival as a representative of the New York Jets Cooking School, part of a new partnership between the cooking school and his restaurant.

He handed out Thanksgiving leftover empanadas at the Jets booth -- a puffy, light pastry filled with turkey, veggies, pancetta, mashed potatoes and cranberries. Also among the offerings were pulled pork barbecue sliders with cole slaw.

The NYC Wine and Food Festival benefits Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry and Food Bank For New York City, raising $7 million in funds to date. All proceeds for the festival go toward these hunger-relief efforts.

The Jets Cooking School hosts an event every month featuring game-day cooking classes to turn any tailgate party gourmet.