'Produce Pete' Napolitano / Susan Bloom
Pete Napolitano began his career in the produce industry in the early 1950s at the tender age of five, peddling fruit and vegetables door-to-door to help support his family’s New Jersey-based produce business. 'Discovered' at his store by a TV producer decades later and given the moniker 'Produce Pete,' he’s since become a fixture on WNBC’s Weekend Today in New York show, where his tips on selecting, storing, and preparing various produce items - all shared in his authentic, endearing, and plain-speaking style - have captivated viewers in metro New York and other U.S. and international markets for 30 years and rendered him one of the longest-running segments in TV history.In They Call Me Produce Pete, Napolitano shares candid memories of growing up poor in post-WWII America, striving to achieve the American Dream, and landing unexpected fame as one of the nation’s leading experts on produce. Sprinkled with touching stories, photos, and family recipes that have held a special place in his heart throughout his life, They Call Me Produce Pete is a nostalgic nod to simpler times and a must-read for anyone who dares to dream the impossible.
