In the kitchen is Executive Chef John Brill who previously was the lead chef at nearby Primehouse and prior to that at Salted on the Harbor in Northport and 7 Gerard in Huntington. He says that many of Stone Street’s interior designs are “Instagram-worthy,” including a giant graphic near the entrance that says, “Life is short, eat everything.” Other unique design elements include a 62-inch food tattoo table, a 26-seat, U-shaped and fire-torched epoxy bar. “The theme is heavily Americana, rock ‘n’ roll, 1950s era, backlit guitars on the walls,” he says, adding that the restaurant features a “show-stopping” 1,200-foot live fire kitchen with a vast wood-burning grill and huge rotisserie surrounded by marquee lighting, to give guests a “bird’s-eye view” of their favorite dishes as they’re prepared. Gustafson describes Stone Street, named for the historic cobblestone street in Manhattan, as a place that does “American classics right, using smoke and fire.” That paved the way for him to open Stone Street Wood Fired Grill in Garden City, which opened in mid-February. Most restaurateurs might think that owning three venues is enough, but not Gustafson, who saw an unfilled niche between some of the chain restaurants and pricier small-plate establishments. He opened Salsa Mexicana Kitchen & Cocktails, also in Rockville Centre, in 2015, followed by the upscale Primehouse Steak & Sushi in Garden City about three years ago. “I love to be involved in all aspects of the business, from design to completion,” he says. In 2012, he was working as the chef at Chadwicks American Chop House & Bar in Rockville Centre when he decided to buy the restaurant. However, he couldn’t escape his entrepreneurial spirit for long. Gustafson explains that while he’s been involved in opening dozens of restaurants throughout his career - he opened his first restaurant at just 26 - he took a break for eight years to work as a corporate chef. In addition to some intensive hands-on experience in various kitchens, Gustafson also trained at the New York Restaurant School in his early 20s, but says that at the time it was “redundant” as he’d already been working at various venues as a full-time chef. “I had the good fortune of working under some very talented chefs from Europe,” he says. ![]() Gustafson says that while growing up in Setauket, he spent his formative years working at several restaurants in Bay Shore and Islip in addition to working and training with several chefs from Italy. “I started cooking in the early 1980s and I’ve been working in restaurants, mostly on the South Shore, since around the age of 15,” he recalls, adding, “I just got the bug to cook.”
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