Meet the Chef - Thomas Manikas

Thomas Manikas, chef de cuisine at Sayville’s , is a man of few words.

But excessive chatter isn’t needed in the kitchen amongst the olive oil and marinara sauce to help dish out platefuls of home-style Italian favorites nightly and offer up unrivaled specials to keep the menu fresh. 

“Tom has a great dedication to food,” said Leo DeNicola one of the restaurant’s owners. “He has a passion for it and that’s what it takes, time and dedication.”  

Manikas first started cooking honey mustard chicken cutlets at age 16 out of boredom when his parents left the house. “ I always liked drawing and it was just another way to be creative,” Manikas said.  

 He remembers growing up in Bayport and eating homemade meals regularly.  “She was always cooking,” he said of his mother.  

Graduating in 1997 from Bayport High School, he went on to Eastern Suffolk BOCES and continued on to Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island where he received his associate’s degree in culinary arts. “I was originally going to pastry,” Manikas said. “But I figured I’d have more freedom going into culinary.” 

His career has so far included cooking his way through the kitchens of The Larchmont Yacht Club, Pine Grove Inn where he cooked German cuisine and Mazzei’s.  

At La Tavola, Manikas has great influence over specials, including desserts. Over the July 4th weekend, the restaurant offered the Yankee Doodle Dandee; a chocolate brownie with mascarpone glaze on the inside, vanilla crème glaze on the bottom, homemade vanilla gelato and a cherry JELL-O shot to top it off.

In late July, the restaurant will receive an achievement of excellence award from the American Culinary Federation.  

When asked, DeNicola is quick to point out the Seared Diver Sea Scallops dressed with peas and pancetta risotto in a saffron-pernod broth as a house favorite. But Manikas’ favorite is from the land – organic chicken scarpariello served with red peppers, onions, roasted potatoes and sausage served in a sauce. 

“Our menu is diverse enough that there’s something for everyone,” said DeNicola, “We try to do fresh and local whenever possible. Anything Long Island’s bounty can bring, we’ll bring to the table.”