Executive Chef Peter Botros Honored for Commitment to Bettering Staten Island
By Danielle Wiseman and Dominic Provenzano, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Peter Botros, owner and founder of Bread & Butter Hospitality, serves thousands of meals to Staten Islanders – each with a large helping of community service.
Bread & Butter Hospitality, a restaurant group founded by Botros in 2014, oversees The Stone House at Clove Lakes, Violette’s Restaurant, Sofia’s Taqueria, Sofia’s Guac Bar, Sally’s Southern & BBQ, Rustic Pizza and Pasteria, and Blue Pearl, as well as several restaurants throughout upstate New York and New Jersey.
Botros began his career in the hospitality industry at thirteen years old and continued well throughout his college years, working waiter, deli, and cook positions at both existing and fondly-remembered Staten Island staples, like Miggy’s Supermarket, South Fin Grill, PepperJack Grill, Panini Grill, and even Domino’s Pizza.
In his twenties, Botros briefly left the hospitality industry behind. “I got my undergrad degree in Entrepreneurial Studies and then went straight into my double Masters in Marketing and Finance,” recalls Botros. “When I graduated, I spent some time as a mortgage banker. I had some success, but to be honest, I really didn’t love it the way that I loved working in restaurants.”
However, soon after starting as a mortgage banker, Botros received news that would reshape his life. At 26 years old, he was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately, Botros was already all too familiar with the disease, as nine years earlier, his mother, Violette, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer. Following the passing of his mother and his recent diagnosis, Botros sought aggressive medical treatment, and according to Botros, “kicked cancer’s ass.”
Botros’ victory over breast cancer set the stage for the next chapter of his life. Shortly after recovering, Botros was presented with an opportunity to purchase the former Lake Club, which is currently The Stone House at Clove Lakes. Knowing that he thrived in the restaurant industry, Botros jumped at the chance to return to an industry that he was already so passionate about.
“Battling cancer really got me thinking about what I wanted to do with my life and what made me happy, and I had this epiphany that I truly belonged in hospitality,” reminisces Botros. “I opened The Stone House in 2014, and since it was immediately successful, I created The Chef’s Loft above The Stone House in 2016. I created Bread and Butter in 2019 when I was up to four restaurants. Now we’re one of the largest restaurant groups and employers on Staten Island.”
Today, Botros, alongside his partners Philip Farinacci, Ignacio Garcia, and Marc Zurlo, oversees more than fifteen restaurants, with several more projects on the way. The restaurants cover a wide variety of cuisines, including Italian, Mexican, American, and Asian-inspired, and there isn’t a corner of Staten Island that Botros isn’t feeding. While Botros’ restaurants are renowned for their food and positive atmospheres, their dedication to philanthropy is what makes them stand out.
Aside from food, Bread and Butter Hospitality’s biggest commitment is to community service. Across their restaurants, Bread and Butter hosts more than a dozen annual events, all of them specific to each restaurant’s theme, including Summer Winestock; The Big Cheese, Country, Brew & BBQ; and the Beer & Bubbly Oyster Festival, where dishes are commonly sold at cost, with net funds funneled into local charities and nonprofits.
However, Botros’ biggest passion is dedicating time to research, awareness, and treatment of cancer. Two of the group’s restaurants - Violette’s Restaurant and Sally’s Southern - are named after beloved family members who succumbed to cancer: Violette Botros, and Sally Curtis, mother of Botros’ business partner, Philip Farinacci. In 2017, the group signed a seven-year pledge to raise $250,000 toward Staten Island University Hospital’s Florina Cancer Center. In just three years, the group surpassed their goal and subsequently increased their pledge to $500,000. The Florina Cancer Center opened in 2023, and Bread and Butter Hospitality remains one of their largest donors, with over $330,000 gifted in recent years.
“Collectively, the restaurants employ over 500 people, which has a huge impact on the communities that we operate in. Our staff and their families are all involved in the community work that we do. It feels great to be able to use the platform in such a positive and impactful way,” says Botros. “I always wanted to own a restaurant, but I never thought I would get to this point. I wouldn’t be able to do this without the team that I have. Every single person that I work with is incredible, and I’m lucky to have the team that I do.”
For his accomplishments, Peter Botros is being honored with a Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award, which he will receive in the Established Businessperson category. The awards, which are presented by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Advance, honor the memory of Louis R. Miller, a businessman and West Brighton resident who was also a community leader.
Botros’ list of accolades is long and varied. Among other accomplishments, Botros has received an LGBTQ Ally Award Recipient from the Pride Center of Staten Island, was named a Rising Stars Award recipient by Full-Service Restaurant Magazine, was named to the Staten Island Power 100 List by City and State New York, and was also named a Sunrise Day Camp Honoree by the Jewish Community Center. Two years in a row, Bread and Butter Hospitality hosted the prestigious Friends of James Beard Foundation at Violette’s Cellar (2018) and The Stone House (2019), the first and only times the organization has ever visited restaurants in Staten Island.
“This all costs time, effort, and money, but I think it’s always worth it. I believe that a business should live its life trying to support the community around itself,” emphasizes Botros. “Anybody can do what we’ve done, no matter how small the business is; you can figure out a way to incorporate philanthropy into your business model. For us, giving back isn’t a choice.”
Current occupation and title: Executive Chef and Founder of Bread and Butter Hospitality.
Hometown: Raised in Bulls Head and currently live in New Dorp.
Past occupation and title: Mortgage Banker. Double major MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Marketing and Finance. Undergrad degree in Entrepreneurial Studies.
Community involvement: Since 2014 we have planned over 50 charitable events at our restaurants and have raised over $1 million for charities on the island for such organizations as: Staten Island University Hospital, JCC, Sunrise Day Camp, Michael’s Cause, The Teddy Atlas Foundation, the Carl V. Bini Foundation, Project Juliet, Staten Island Pride Center, The Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, Childhood Leukemia Foundation, Meals on Wheels, March of Dimes, Project Hospitality, Tunnel to Towers, the James Beard Foundation, and many more.
The best part of my job: Working with amazing people and being a part of their growth. It’s great to see people work their way up and into roles where they can showcase their talents and ideas.
The most difficult part of my job: Juggling the 50+ things that have to go right every day to operate a restaurant.
My life philosophy: Based on a Benjamin Franklin quote, "Never leave for tomorrow, what you can do today."
I am most proud of: How many people we employ and how much we have been able to do for our local community.
Something that no one knows about me: I once ran out of gas twice in the same day.
The quality I like best about myself: The ability to not let anything bother me.
Personal interests and hobbies: Food lol.
I laugh at: Pretty much everything.
I am really good at: Board games.
I admire: People who are able to keep a positive attitude while battling illness.