Upamanyu Biswas
After the death of his mother, grandmother, and sister, Jody “Joe” Scaravella started a restaurant in honor of the three matriarchal figures in his life. As explored in Netflix’s ‘Nonnas,‘ Scaravella’s affection for cooking urged him to hire nonnas (grandmothers) as the primary chefs in his restaurant, using their homely and cozy outlook as a unique selling point. While the movie dramatizes certain elements, it also provides an intriguing look into the challenges faced by Scaravella and how he overcame them one at a time, even if certain aspects deviate from reality. Mostly, it embeds his restaurant as a significant player in the culinary industry, showcasing its success after a period of difficulties, especially from the profit angle.
How Did Joe Scaravella Earn His Money?
Contrary to Netflix’s ‘Nonnas,’ Joe Scaravella’s desire to open a restaurant was not hampered by the financial problems depicted in the movie. After kickstarting the business from scratch in 2007, through financial support from his friends and some insurance money, Scaravella needed the restaurant to be profitable and make a return on the significant investment. To that end, it was likely a relief when Enoteca Maria (the restaurant’s name) became a success story quite quickly. During the initial phase of the business launch, Scaravella continued to work two jobs – one with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the second at the restaurant. It helped him keep his feet on the ground without major financial issues. Often, his colleagues would cover for him at the MTA while he was working at the restaurant.
The restaurant became a much larger business with time, especially as general interest in the concept behind the nonnas caught on. Founded in 2007 in Staten Island, New York, Enoteca Maria has been a cultural landmark owing to its ever-changing menu, which is dictated by the nonnas in the kitchen. Although the company initially hired women with Italian heritage, the policy changed in 2015 as grandmothers from around the world were allowed to work at the restaurant. This shift towards a global mindset is also reflected in the types of food offered, as the restaurant prides itself on providing authentic meals from different cultures. To that end, a general sense of comfort and expansion has taken precedence, not just financially but also in business practices.
Outside his restaurant owner work, Scaravella has co-authored a cookbook titled ‘Nonna’s House’ with Elisa Petrini. Although it is not stated as a bestseller, the book features a wide variety of recipes and heartfelt stories from the Italian nonnas of Enoteca Maria. Additionally, its positive feedback on several selling sites suggests numerous copies of the cookbook are in circulation worldwide, adding to his overall wealth. More importantly, the book has also likely inspired many to take up the art of cooking for the first time. As history and tradition are a big part of Scaravella’s ideals, his products generally reflect those ideas in abundance, capitalizing on the family aspect of his journey while also emphasizing profitability overall. He also played a crucial role in the development of the Netflix movie, which is inspired by his life and experiences.
Joe Scaravella’s Net Worth
It is worth noting that Joe Scaravella is still the owner of Enoteca Maria. His business has been in operation for roughly 18 years, which has likely contributed to his overall wealth. However, not everything has been smooth sailing in the venture. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant had to be shut down for a long time. The reasons were not monetary but more related to the workers’ health. As most of the nonnas working at the restaurant are late-stage adults, they were at higher risk of mortality if they contracted the virus. Therefore, to avoid such an issue, the restaurant was closed for some time. It is logical to assume that there may have been a financial hit during the shutdown. However, today, the restaurant is back to a regular schedule.
As Enoteca Maria continues to thrive as a locally sustained business, there are no hiccups in its path for the time being. While there is no publicly available information on the matter, it is likely that every year, Scaravella makes over six figures from running the restaurant. Additionally, he was likely offered an advance for co-authoring ‘Nonna’s House,’ a standard payment method for traditional publishing houses. However, authors are also sometimes paid royalties for their projects, which often in the range of 5 to 15% for every copy sold.
Although not publicly confirmed, it is also highly likely that Scaravella sold the movie rights to his book. Generally, the purchase price for such rights is around 2% to 3% of the film’s production budget. Since Netflix acquired global distribution rights for the film for $20 million, it is reasonable to estimate the production budget to be at least $10 million. Based on this estimate, Scaravella may have earned between $200,000 and $300,000 from the sale of the movie rights.
Taking into account his restaurant’s value (which may have increased significantly following the movie’s release), book royalties, movie rights earnings, and other possible investments, it is estimated that Joe Scaravella’s net worth is close to $5 million.
Read More: Where is Joe Scaravella Now? Update on Enoteca Maria Owner
