From the age of six all Christian ever wanted to do was be a chef. Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, he spent his early years in the kitchen under the tutelage of Andy Pforzheimer and the Barteca Group until opening up his own wood-fire Italian restaurant, Fortina. He went on to open 5 more successful restaurants in the span of just 8 years becoming one of New York’s authorities on Italian cuisine and the art of red sauce.

Christian hit the national stage winning Next Food Network Star season 14 and became an instant fan favorite through his charm and infectious positivity. He became a regular on Food Network as a recurring guest judge on shows like Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Guy’s Grocery Games, Diners Drive Ins & Dives, Tournament of Champions and more.

Stepping away from his restaurants with an eye towards a multi-media career, Christian founded Gabagool Media: a multi-media and consulting company with a specialized focus in creating content, apparel and providing guidance for chefs and small businesses worldwide.

During the pandemic, he created his viral cheesy garlic bread that is now available at Yankee Stadium in New York.

At his core, Christian loves to connect with people through food and lives to make them feel like family. He lives with his wife Sheri which he says he owes all to his cooking since “she is way out of my league, I don’t get it”. They have two beautiful children: Beau and Briar Rose.