Fortina founder Christian Petroni is in the final four — and we're not talking college basketball. The Westchester chef, who owns restaurants in Armonk, Rye Brook, Yonkers, Stamford and Brooklyn, has been competing on "Food Network Star," which has been airing since June.

There are just four contestants left, including Petroni. The show has turned otherwise unknowns into household names. 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host Guy Fieri was a previous winner. So far, Petroni, who's known for his larger-than-life personality and love for Italian food — he grew up in the Bronx — has beaten six other contestants to remain standing. His culinary point of view, he said, is "food people want to eat."