STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. —Christopher T. Hewitt, a lifelong Staten Islander who fed, cared for, and quietly held up his community through decades in the food business, died suddenly at his home in Sunnyside. He was 50.
Hewitt’s path into food began in the produce department of the old A&P in New Dorp, where he worked as a teenager. He went on to spend years on the East Shore at Delfini’s and Top Tomato, gaining the hands-on experience that shaped his career, particularly at Delfini’s. In the early 2000s, he owned The Misty Lounge, a Grant City neighborhood bar he ran with friends.
A life built in food service
He joined A&S Catering in Bulls Head about a decade ago and became its steady center, eventually becoming an owner. Colleagues said he wasn’t just an employee or proprietor—he was the backbone. He knew every recipe, every customer, every rhythm of the place. Through the upheaval of COVID-19, Hewitt remained the constant: the teacher, the standard-setter, the one from whom everyone learned.
Inside A&S, he became known not only for his food but for the conversations that came with it. “He wasn’t just the guy behind the counter. He was the reason people walked through the door,” said longtime friend and former A&S owner Jimmy Ramovic. “Half the time, they came in for the conversation first and the sandwich second. He knew everything, and even when he disagreed with you, he’d tell you straight but never in a way that made you feel small.”
Ramovic said the shop became a kind of refuge. “People came in with their problems. Some didn’t have anyone else to talk to, and he became that person, the one who listened, who related, who always had something to say back. It was a place where you could exhale.”
He was known for quiet generosity, donating to local raffles and community drives, and making sure anyone who was struggling still left with a meal.(Courtesy of. the Hewitt Family)Generosity and care through food
His generosity extended far beyond the counter. Hewitt donated widely to school raffles, basket drives, and community events, and he quietly helped customers who were short on money or struggling. “Chris donated across the board … his time, his energy, whatever people needed,” said colleague Annie McHugh. “If someone was short on money, he’d make sure they still ate. He helped people any way he could.”
Food was his love language. When something happened—good or bad—he sent food. “When our cousin had premature babies, the first thing he said was, ‘I’m sending sandwiches. What room is she in?’” his sister Erin Hewitt recalled. “That was how he took care of people.”
Hewitt was also known for the signature dishes he made with his own hands. Chief among them was his roast beef with caramelized onions and muenster cheese—a sandwich customers would wait specifically for him to prepare. “People didn’t just want a sandwich,” McHugh said. “They wanted his sandwich.”
A ‘Jeopardy!’ fan and trivia giant
A graduate of St. Christopher’s Catholic School and Monsignor Farrell High School, Hewitt spent his entire life on Staten Island. In his youth, he sketched and painted, and throughout adulthood he remained an avid reader with a deep love of music and movies. Friends joked he could have gone on Jeopardy! thanks to his encyclopedic recall and constant curiosity.
He was also a devoted sports fan, particularly passionate about the Giants. One friend remembered stopping by Christopher’s deli station at Top Tomato on Sundays just to tease him: “If Chris was working during a Giants game, he’d record it and refuse to hear a single update. I’d walk in and pretend to spoil the score, and he’d spin around and yell, ‘Shut up!’ It was all in good fun—and very him.”
Ramovic shared a statement on behalf of fellow friends: “Christopher Hewitt was a great friend and a truly special person who left an impression on everyone he met and was loved by many. Life is short and precious, and knowing I can’t text or call him again is something that hurts more than words can explain.”
A familiar face to cops, firefighters and EMTs
A longtime customer and friend who is a New York City police officer said, “I met Chris about a decade ago while ordering food at A&S for a party. When he found out I was a cop, he went above and beyond—not just that day, but every time after. That was Chris. He treated first responders, customers, and friends all the same: with respect, warmth, and genuine interest. He could somehow carry on three different conversations with three different people at the same time and never miss a beat. Many of us are still in disbelief and even angry about how fast he left us. But what he gave us—his friendship, his kindness, his laughter—will never leave. This is not goodbye, my friend. Till we meet again.”
Ramovic added, “Chris always spoke about his family and how close he was to them. That love defined him. He made it a point to stop and talk to every cop, firefighter, EMT, and neighbor who walked through his door, and he knew everyone by name. That kind of connection is rare. They don’t make them like Chris anymore. He was truly one of a kind.”
Hewitt is survived by his siblings Dennis, Brian, and Erin; nieces Gia and Kayla; and extended family. His parents, Dennis and Georgiana (Gunn) Hewitt, preceded him in death.
A wake will be held at Hanley Funeral Home on Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Christopher’s Church on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.