Joseph Mastrella was born and raised in Bayonne, New Jersey and has currently traveled south to live by the Jersey shore.  He grew up in a household surrounded by a family that loved to cook.  His father was originally a farmer in Sicily and his mother continues to work in a kitchen.  He was always surrounded with family activities such as wine making, tomato sauce bottling, cheese making and meat curing.

He started in the business at the age of 13 and worked his way up the ladder.  As he finished high school, Joseph enrolled in Hudson County Community College Culinary Arts program.  This gave him the tools and skills to exceed further in his career.  Upon graduating, he was involved in corporate dining.  Within a year, he landed a job with Louis Spost at the Hilton Short Hills.  This experience allowed him to be exposed to a unique level of food that came from different regions and styles of the world.  The hotel was given The AAA Five Diamond award.

Three years later, he proceeded on to join the Dry Dock Restaurant family as Executive Sous Chef at Spirito Grill.  In a short time, he was promoted to Executive Chef.  He grew within the company and was given the opportunity to lead Dry Dock Restaurants as director of operations, general manger and as executive chef. He oversaw Spirito Grill, Arthur’s Landing and NY Waterway cafes.   For eight years he led the Dry Dock team to a higher level of food and outstanding service.

Joseph has now decided to continue to grow in other elements in the restaurant industry, where he joined the Eccola Restaurant Group to venture with them and open their newest restaurant in Hillsborough named “CoccoLa”.  As General Manager, Joseph promises that CoccoLa is going to be the newest in food, wine, and service all within a vibrate atmosphere in the Hillsborough-Bridgewater Area.

As two years went by Joseph had an opportunity to venture out for himself in Rahway where he opened Luciano's an Italian Ristorante & Lounge where he introduces his style of traditional Italian cuisine with a contemporary twist.  Joseph utilizes freshest ingredients from seafood, to produce and meats in his menus which his guest came to appreciate.  In short time Luciano's has received rave reviews from the New York Times, New Jersey Star Ledger, and the News Tribune.