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Jody Scaravella knew right away that Enoteca Maria, the Staten Island restaurant he opened in 2007 where grandmothers cook traditional meals for customers, would make a perfect movie.
How could he not? Scaravella, who also goes by Joe, was being told so non-stop.
“Almost from day one, we’ve been contacted about a reality show, about a movie, about a documentary, just constantly, constantly,” the owner of the hotspot in the St. George neighborhood of the borough told The Post. “I certainly knew we had struck a nerve.”
And then about eight years ago, the filmmakers of “Nonnas,” the feel-good comedy directed by Stephen Chbosky that drops on Netflix Friday, finally convinced him.
“This was really heartfelt and the people actually stepped up to the plate,” he said. “It unfolded very quickly.”
Now, Scaravella is getting the Hollywood treatment. The Brooklyn native is being played onscreen by “Wedding Crashers” star Vince Vaughn.
And the quartet of lively Italian nonnas heating up the kitchen are a formidable bunch: Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire and Brenda Vaccaro.
The kitchen can get spicy — and not just because of the red pepper flakes.
“I love Lorraine Bracco and Brenda Vaccaro when they’re having it out,” Scaravella said.
Their characters’ head-butting is about more than whose Sunday sauce is tastier. Bracco’s forthright Roberta hails from Sicily, while Vaccaro’s nonna, Antonella, is a proud native of Bologna.
“There’s definitely a certain amount of prejudice, depending on what part of Italy you’re from,” Scaravella said. “The one moment when Vince turns to the ladies and says, ‘You ladies are killing me!’ — I’ve said that.”
The proprietor helped Vaughn, who he calls a “really down to earth and sweet guy,” and writer Liz Maccie turn the remarkable Enoteca Maria journey into a heart-tugging movie.
“He came to the restaurant with Joe Mangianello, [who plays best friend Bruno],” Scaravella said. “He was asking about the story and I guess he was just trying to get a feel for the character and the brilliant script written by Liz Maccie — threading together all the moments in my life.”
One aspect that makes the tale compelling is that it’s about an underdog. Scaravella had no restaurant experience when he decided to open Enoteca Maria. The other is family. He was inspired by his own nonna and his mother, the eatery’s namesake. “Nonnas” weaves them in.
At the start of the movie, we see Scaravella as a boy observing his grandma cook pasta sauce alongside his mom. Watching his younger self with those special women in his life moved him.
“I just sat there with tears in my eyes through the whole thing,” Scaravella said. “And every time I’ve looked at it afterwards, it’s very emotional for me.”
The whirlwind of “Nonnas” has also made the man very, very busy.
When The Post visited Enoteca Maria, which today features nonnas of many different nationalities and culinary specialties (Jewish, Polish, Ukrainian, Mexican and more), the already popular restaurant’s phone was ringing off the hook.
“It’s a bit much,” Scaravella said. “I mean, I can’t answer my phone. There’s 350 messages on there that I’m trying to get through one at a time. Every time I do one, three more come in.”
But, he added, “there are bad problems and there are good problems. This is a good problem.”
English (US)