Exclusive | Celeb-packed Emilios Balatto chef-owner opening Long Island red sauce joint

He’s got a lot on his plate these days.Anthony Vitolo, the executive chef and family owner of celebrity-packed Houston Street red sauce joint Emilio’s Ballato, is taking his talents to Long Island.Vitolo will be opening a Nassau County supper club in late October with a close friend who was ready to ditch the industry before hearing an offer he couldn’t refuse.“We decided to go into business while having a drink at 2 in the morning,” said Vitolo, 35.He’s teaming up with well-known local chef Salvatore Sorrentino to launch the upscale eatery named Vitolo-Sorrentino out of the now-gutted ITA Kitchen space in Garden City — a hotspot Sorrentino recently sold his ownership shares in.The idea was born after Vitolo’s longtime pal shut down the location and still had months left on its lease.With ITA shuttered, Sorrentino wanted to find a creative way to make revenue and asked the Wantagh-raised Vitolo about doing a pop-up night, which became a raving hit after only a day of planning.“All my people that I grew up with in Wantagh have been dying for me to come out to Long Island,” said Vitolo, whose family business’ clientele includes the likes of Taylor Swift, Aaron Judge, Barack Obama, Jaxson Dart, and past names such as John Lennon and Andy Warhol.“We did it, and it was literally like a symphony — an orchestra.”Their smooth-sailing August event had staff from the two chefs’ restaurants harmoniously serving up “heavy hitters” and secret menu items from Ballato’s, like chicken scarpariello wings and thin pounded Vitello Antonio veal chop. “Once I saw how it was flowing, I knew we should do this,” Sorrentino said.

“It just brings the love back.”The fellas went to the restaurant’s bar for a nightcap, clinked glasses, and the rest was history. “I stepped in there, and it was just my kind of kitchen,” Vitolo added.They ran a second, line-out-the-door pop-up — this time teaming up with their friends at the viral Dario’s of...