HAMDEN GENERAL CAFE

Photos by: Christian Harder

ANTONIO “TINY” MORA

Chef Antonio Mora has over twenty-five years’ experience in restaurant kitchens, beginning at the legendary Ryland Inn. After four formative years under chef Craig Shelton, Mora spent two years cooking at Restaurant Daniel, then became sous chef at Restaurant Serenade in Chatham, NJ. He was the opening executive chef at Avenue in Long Branch, New Jersey, earning a two-star review from the New York Times, and a rave from Gourmet. Upon his return to Manhattan, Mora worked as chef de cuisine at Keith McNally’s Morandi, in the West Village, then took the top spot at Frankie’s Sputino, Prime Meats and Café Pedlar, in Brooklyn. He spent six years as executive chef at Quality Meats, before opening the French-inflected Quality Bistro, in early 2020. In the wake of the global pandemic and its severe disruption to restaurant business-as-usual, Mora worked with Sohail Zandi at Brushland Eating House in Bovina. Now at Hamden General, Tiny still works closely with Maggie McDowell with Magpie’s making pot pies and collaborates with other local chefs on special events.