We had the good fortune of connecting with James”Jimmy The Wolf” Pino and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi James”Jimmy The Wolf”, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Im originally from Pueblo,Co, I grew up in a neighborhood called “The Grove” wich was made up of italian and bojon people. My family lived mostly on the block of Stanton ave and had family farm’s on 26th lane and and other lanes considered the county or blend. My Grandfather was Angelo Mosco a Sicilian/italian man who was a farmer and grew Chile with his brothers amongst other things. My grandmother Eleanor Mosco also came from a farming family so you can say growing up I got to experience what the earth could grow in its purest form and watch dishes be created from what was available at the time. I watched my grandmother and family create home cooked italian/spanish food from scratch wich influenced my passion. The energy, the love, the smell of a six hour sunday sauce, the heat from a roasted Mosco Chile pepper combined with ambition to be somebody. Led me down the only path that meant something to me. “Food” feeding people, showing them your world in every single bite! that’s where im from! My upbringing was a little rough due to my single mother being ill. So being raised in my grandparents house was the norm, at times it was strict, church every sunday, constant yard work even when the yard seemed clean, just showed me my grandparents work ethic was everything I needed to become what I am today. never give up, never stop going after what you believe even when you can’t see it yet, show up with purpose and in my grandmothers words “becareful who you trust! because everything is just a racket!”lol
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe what sets us apart from others is the fact I took the standard customer/business relationship from a food truck perspective and threw it out the window! and turned it into were family, how you doing, your hungry I got you! just food cooked with love and making sure the family is good. Im at where im at today because I treat people with respect and the old saying treat people how you wanna be treated. listen we all work hard for our money and all have rough days but when its time to eat I believe its the time we all get to reset and enjoy that brief time to reflect and discover new things about our selves and people. Nothings ever easy so you just gotta keep showing up with purpose and eventually you notice the distance you gained. I want the world to know that over here at Vinny and Maries Italian we are not some high end place selling you over priced noodles that you can’t remember where they came from or who made them. We are people just like you trying live our life to the fullest and eat some amazing food along the way.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
lol this one has me wondering if I should give up my routine. im just gonna list some things! just tell em jimmy from Vinny and Marie’s sent you!
Breakfast places:
1.Original Pancake House Denver tech: Get The Florentine omelette/ Get The Blueberry Pancakes
2.Petes Cafe Thornton: Order any skillet they all are good/ with a side bowl of Chile.
3.Sunny’s: just go!
Lunch place’s:
1.Taste Bud Bullies Food truck (southern style/nola style) located at the dirty duck bar!
2.los dos portillos Mexican restaurant
3.De corazón mexican: off market st. get the fajitas
4.lou’s italian specialty
5.Outlaw wings
6.Chicken rebel
Dinner places:
1.El Five! The BEST
2.The Wishbone family restaurant. Fried Chicken and fries with ranch!
3.Mickey’s steak house!
4.el gordos tacos 72nd ave get the barboca torta(quick eat)
Hang out:
1.Rockies/ nuggets game
2.denver flea market
3. 1 up arcade off Colfax
4.red rocks
5.16th street mall
Cool shops:
5280 totally awesome. thats it just go and get lost !
Breweries:
1.little machine brew, order a cerveza
2.luki brew everything is good
3.zuni brew get a kolsch
4.living the dream brewery
5. Colorado tap house ( not a brewery but the staff and the owners are amazing and offer a huge selection of craft brews) love them!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wanna shoutout my crew who constantly put up with me on the daily, Tom ,Nick And Janet without you I wouldn’t be as far as I am! I also wanna shoutout two people who believed in me from the time I was a kid with big ideas and didn’t just say they did and turn the page! my aunt and uncle Carlos and Nancy Torrez you guys can never understand the love and appreciation I have for you. The last few years have tested us beyond anything anyone can imagine and yet we still move forward. I love you! To my kids Vinny & Marie I knew from the moment I met the both of you when you first came into this world that I would literally go through hell to make sure you had everything you needed and leave something behind for you to be proud of. I love you two more than anything! this is for you! And lastly to My Grandmother Eleanor Mosco you have been everything a young lost kid needed to find his way! you took me in when mom passed and showed me unconditional love and taught me so much about life, people,food! that I can never repay you in this life. I wanna say that this is also for you and grandpa, you are responsible for this success because I would never be here with out you getting my back in life and fighting everyday for me to be better. I love you!
Website: www.vinnynmariesitalian.com
Instagram: @vinnynmariesitalian
Image Credits
photos by :Johnathan drake