tastemakers
A DEFINING ROLE IN THE KITCHEN
Anton Testino carries on the family tradition at Axton’s
A
veteran of the restau-
rant business, Anton
Testino serves food
inspired by his life.
For the past 31 years,
Testino survived a
rollercoaster career, from failing in
his first restaurant endeavor to
wowing guest chef Wolfgang Puck
on Fox’s competitive cooking show,
Hell’s Kitchen. Testino describes his
cuisine as rustic Italian, and each
dish he serves is one of his personal
favorites. Axton’s opened two years
ago to a warm reception, and the
chef has now opened a second venue
next door called Reserve, an Italian
tapas and wine bar.
ANTON TESTINO
Axton’s by Chef Anton
Testino
437 Ringwood Ave., Pompton Lakes
(973) 831-0037, axtons.net
“THE CHALLENGE OF MAKING
A RESTAURANT SUCCESSFUL IS
UNBELIEVABLE. BUT, WHEN YOUR
NAME IS ON IT, IT’S AN HONOR.
THERE’S THE CHALLENGE OF
CREATING DISHES NO ONE ELSE HAS.”
Where are you from? I grew up in
Pompton Lakes, and now I’m in Butler.
What attracted you to working
in a kitchen? When I was 12, I was a bus-
boy at the restaurant where my mother
worked. During the weekend and the rush
hour, I saw how intense it was. There was
screaming and yelling, and flames, and every-
one worked together like a machine. The thrill
of it drew me in. There’s no other career like it.
What do you like most about
being a restaurant owner? The
challenge of making a restaurant successful is
unbelievable. But, when your name is on it,
it’s an honor. There’s the challenge of creating
dishes no one else has. Developing a follow-
ing, figuring out the bills, being in charge of
30 different people. It’s a thrill I would never
want to give up.
What’s been your best experi-
ence as a chef? Opening Axton’s. It’s
named after my son. Growing up, my father
had a restaurant named after me but…we lost
everything. He had a problem with drugs and
alcohol. It really upset me as a kid, but now I
have a chance to redo my life so things will
be different for my son.
Worst experience? I opened my first
place in Edgewater [at age 23] and it went well,
but then things happened with the town and I
ended up having to close. That failure cost me
a lot of money. It turned out to be one of the
best experiences, actually. I had to hit bottom
and rebuild everything from scratch.
What’s your most popular
dish? One of them is the one that got me
kicked off the Food Network. I spent two
years perfecting it. It’s the shrimp risotto;
people go crazy over it.
Do you have any tips for
preparing food for the holi-
days? Think outside the box. Like, make
the stuffing with caramelized apples, and
put some celery in there. And raisins. Maybe
throw some sweet potatoes in there. Don’t be
afraid to think beyond the standard stuff. ■
WAYNE MAGAZINE HOLIDAY 2017
23