In Bocconi Restaurant, Hackensack

Mario Amon might have been born in South America, but his heart is in Italy — or at least his taste buds.

The native of Cuenca, Ecuador, said that Italian food is his "passion," and not only for its flavors; he also appreciates the artisanal aspects, and enjoys decorating dishes so much that he does it even when cooking for himself (it makes him hungrier, he said.)

The 37-year-old Hackensack resident came to America in 1994, and promptly began working part-time at Scalinatella, the high-end Italian restaurant on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Two years later, he was in the kitchen full-time, and he honed his skills as a sous chef there for 14 years. In 2009, he left to start casual Italian eatery Bocconi Restaurant in Hackensack, where he is also executive chef.