#KnowTheChef (Forkyoo) - 18 Offbeat Interviews With Top Chefs

A
FREE
EBOOK FROM
Intro
Aquagrill
Oda House
The Trattoria
Le Village, La
Sirene & Taureau
North Fork Table

& Inn
Antique Garage
10 Chef Mavro
Osteria Morini
11 Roots Bistro
Gourmand
Pentimento
12 Pawpaw
Mamo NYC
13 Willow
15 Greenpoint Fish &

Lobster
16 Espita Mezcaleria
17 Rouge et Blanc
18 Senza Gluten
19 Piccola Cucina
#KnowTheChef
18 OFFBEAT INTERVIEWS
WITH KICK-ASS CHEFS
No Mess. No Prep. Simply Cook like The Best.

www.forkyoo.com
#KnowTheChef represents an ongoing series of offbeat interviews

with kick-ass chefs & restaurateurs, who are working around your
area, as well as notable outliers who are kicking the proverbial ass at
what they do, wherever they may be.
#KnowTheChef: 18 Offbeat Interviews with Kick-Ass Chefs by Forkyoo, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
#KnowTheChef:
Maia Acquaviva of Oda House
(East Village, NY)
Chef Maia, spreading the love through awesome food.
Chef Maia Acquaviva (Oda House). To know her, is to love her. She is
an incredibly warm, passionate, multi-talented, and generous woman.
She is simply awesome; a truly amazing human being. Born in Tbilisi,
Georgia (the country, not the US state), she is a former plastic surgeon,
whose passion for home-cooked food led her to opening her own
restaurant in NYC. Maia is Forkyoos first vendor partner, and it
means a tremendous amount to us to have such a stellar team in our
corner. Much love to Maia, Dali, George, Sukho, and the rest of the
crew at Oda House.
If you love amazing, home-cooked food, and have yet to try Oda
House, the East Villages best kept secret, you need to get down there
ASAP. You can buy Maias pre-prepped meal kits on Forkyoo.
In New Jersey? Check out her second, brand new location in Toms
River.
Who: Maia Acquaviva, Chef

Where:
Oda House
76 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009
(212) 353-3838
&
Oda House Jersey
600 Mule Road, Toms River, NJ 08757
(848) 224-4584
What is the worst dish you have ever made?
Maia: When I first time came to this country, I didnt know which kind of flour I
should use for a cake I was making. The cake was like uh, I dont know, the cake
turned out not like cake. It turned out like bread because, as I said, at the time I
didnt know which flour to use, and I used the absolute wrong kind of flour! Now I
know what type.
What is the most underrepresented cuisine in NYC?
Maia: Must be more, for example, (bashfully) Georgian.
Of course, I would think that also. I completely agree.
Maia: Georgian, because it is flavorful, it is a new cuisine here, people dont know
about this. Im so happy I have this restaurant and I like to let people know about
Georgian cuisine because it is the oldest cuisine in the world. I hope very soon well
open so many Georgian restaurants because this is a huge city, this is a megalopolis,
and a having a few Georgian restaurants is almost nothing.
I can understand that, I personally think that everyone should try your food.
Georgian cuisine is just amazing. What is the worst dish you have ever eaten?
Maia: The worst dish that I ever ate? It was a raw chicken. I just took a big bite, but I
was at a party, and I could not throw this out. I ate the bite because I couldnt do
anything about it!
Oh no!
Maia: When I saw the part that was on the plate, it was raw. This is the worst. It was
not here, this was, it wasnt in Georgia, it was in France.
Interesting.
Maia: It was definitely in France.
Can you tell us a valuable cooking hack?

Maia: To make life in the kitchen easier?
Yes.
Maia: You have to love. When you are cooking you have to love it. When you love
cooking it is easy. Cooking is easy and it is not stressful because I love it. When you
hate cooking and you have to cook something it is very stressful. Kitchens are not
nice, especially in the summertime when everything is hot and boiling and you stay
inside, in a 100 degree temperature, more than outside. Oh my God. Of course, its
awful, but when you love cooking and you know people are waiting for your food,
you are happy, you know? And you have to love what you are doing you know and
do what you love. It will always be an easy life then.
If you could create a line of signature baby food what would it be?
Maia: For babies, I would give all organic food. Absolutely. Antibiotic-free, cagefree, organic chicken and so much more. The children are growing, and they need
natural food. This is a base for good health, a base for tomorrow, a base for
everything. And you know what? If you give them junk food, of course not today,
not tomorrow, but in a few years you will see the results. I think its much better to
feed your children natural food. Of course, its more expensive but you have to feed
them more expensive, healthier food, rather than some unknown food. Which one
gives you the best results later?
Right.
Maia: So many diseases come from diet.
Thats true. We try to stick with that too.
Maia: Yes, when you have land, you have to grow. This is all natural. Its amazing.
You have to plant the tomatoes, the cucumbers, and everything. Its special,
summertime, its so nice.
It makes a difference, it does, I agree. What is your favorite meal from childhood?
Maia: My favorite, is khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread). I think for all Georgians,
for us, khachapuri is number one. We grew up on khachapuri. In the morning we
have a khachapuri, in the evening we have it. Like pizza for Italians, we have
khachapuri, you know? Khachapuri is my favorite dish. I love it.
It is definitely delicious. If you werent cheffing, what would you be doing?

Maia: Haha, I would be operating. There are two things I love, operating on people
and cooking.
That was an easy one for you! Do you have a favorite obscure cookbook, like a
rare cookbook?
Maia: You know what, for me, a very good cookbook, is my grandmothers
cookbook. She has her own grandmothers recipes and I have my grandmothers
cookbook. There are such funny things in it, because now we dont use many of
these ingredients that they were using in their time, and its so funny when you are
reading. But you know, its amazing. Unusual and unique, I love that.
Its your family history. Where are you originally from?
Maia: Georgia, the Republic of Georgia. Georgia is in the middle of Europe and Asia.
It is the gateway for Asia and Europe. Tbilisi, it is the capital.
Thats what I had thought. What is your favorite flavor combination right now?
Maia: My favorite flavor combination. What I really love is salty and sweet things
together. For some it is unusual, but I really love a good salty feta cheese with good
honey and hot Georgian bread. For me, this is delicious. I love it! But for some
people this is unusual, but it is a very nice flavor, salty-sweet things.
They do go well together.
Maia: Very well. Especially if my grandmother baked this bread. In a brick oven, oh
my God, it is really delicious!
That sounds really, really good! What is the best restaurant meal you have
recently eaten?
Maia: Okay, um, it was in Boston. In the evening we went to this restaurant, and I
dont remember the name. It was very nice. I ate an open burger with a salad. The
burger was so flavorful. I have not tasted something like this since Georgia. It
reminds me of when I ate this organic food in the mountains somewhere. It really
was so good. Very tasty and very tender. Unfortunately I dont remember the name
of the restaurant.
Could you recommend another chef that we could interview?
Maia: Jemiko Solo. He has Senza Gluten.
We met him! We met him at your anniversary party last year.
Maia: Yes. Hes on Sullivan Street. He opened a totally gluten-free restaurant. You
have to go in. Its delicious. He is an excellent cook, and youll never realize that its
all gluten-free. He has bread, he has ravioli, he so many things, all gluten-free.
Oh, Ill have to try that soon! What is your favorite song/band/music?
Maia: For me, The Beatles. I grew up with The Beatles. Of course I am younger than
the Beatles. Freddie Mercury, too. I also love classical. And The Three Tenors:
Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras; it is the best trio in the world. I love opera very
much. In Georgia, we have so many well-known and talented opera singers. For
example we have Anita Rachvelishvili. Right now shes in La Scalas Aida.
Sometimes she has concerts in the Metropolitan Opera. Yes. She is beautiful. She
has an unusual voice. Italians love Georgian Aida! I love going to the Opera.I love it.
I love classic. I love soul, blues jazz.
Last question: What is the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs in the
area?
Maia: The hardest part is to introduce people to your food, how to bring customers
inside.
When 100 people come, I am sure they will come back, but this is the hardest part.
Today we had a guest, her name was Oda! They just heard Oda House, and figured,
why not go?. She is from Spain, She is very nice, and she loves it here. She told me
she would come back 1000 times and bring friends. She came with, her boyfriend, I
think. He told me, We came because I have another Oda here!. :::laughs:: Yes, but
we are open just 2 years, and I think people love it here.
Thank you Chef Maia!! We are grateful to you for sharing your
time & memories with us!
Visit Chef Acquaviva at:
Oda House
76 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009
(212) 353-3838
&
Oda House Jersey
600 Mule Road, Toms River, NJ 08757
(848) 224-4584
Well keep you posted on Chef Maia, so please subscribe and
follow!
Are you a kick-ass chef who we should interview?

Do you know a kick-ass Chef who we should interview?
Tweet it at us now!
Get Oda Houses dishes delivered to you as easy-to-cook meal

kits !
Click and cook like Maia Acquaviva!
#KnowTheChef:
Didier Pawlicki of La Sirne
(SoHo, NY)
Chef Didier, calming his bottle of wine after a wild Ducati ride.
.
Chef Didier Pawlicki (La Sirene, Taureau & Le Village) is a local

philosopher-cum-restaurateur and a friendly culinary fixture in lower
Manhattan. He is a passionate, kind, thoughtful and adventurous
dreamer, who came to NYC and worked to have his dreams manifest
in reality. Here is a man who is constantly evolving as a person. Here is
a man who has a Bitcoin ATM in his restaurant. His kitchens are Le
Village, La Sirne & Taureau, with every detail meticulously thoughtout & consistently excellent, like the man himself.
We are grateful to have met Chef Didier and to have him working with
us as a vendor partner on Forkyoo. You can buy his pre-prepped meal
kits from Le Village, Taureau & La Sirne.
Who: Didier Pawlicki, Chef

Where:
Le Village
127 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009
(212) 539-0231
La Sirne & Taureau
558 Broome St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-3061
What is the worst dish youve ever made?

Didier: That is very interesting What is the worst dish I have ever made Maybe,
some 7, no, 8 years ago, a skate fish. I totally made it, umm. I mean, the most
horrible Yes. Seared skate fish with caper and butter. I totally missed it, but just
one time. In order to say the worst dish I have ever made, I dont know if I recall,
because Ive learned, and I love what I am doing. But just occasionally, even if
everythings all right, we just miss it, plain and simple.
I have been there myself. I have had the pleasure of being like what happened?
Didier: Exactly. Yeah.
What do you think the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in NYC is?
Didier: I would say French-Caribbean, in my opinion, or I would say, African cuisine.
Ok. Fair enough.
Didier: Yes, definitely.
What is the worst dish you have ever eaten?

Didier: Thats complicated, because Ive eaten a lot of worst dishes. In terms of
appearance, I think insects, though I cannot say it was bad. In general terms, a bland
dish. Any dish which is bland, can be categorized as the worst, in my opinion.
Didier: Ok, yeah of course, I have several. Hmm. You just missed your hollandaise
sauce which becomes like, very liquid and not smooth at all. In that condition, take a
little metal bowl, put a little bit of the hollandaise sauce inside the metallic bowl,
and you can now put ice-cold water, just a little drop at a time, and restart the
hollandaise, slowly, drop by drop, and it works. For the mayonnaise, it is the same
technique, except one is made with heat (hollandaise), and one is made cold
(mayonnaise), in which case you just use hot water, and thats it.
Very interesting. If you could create a signature line of baby food, what would it
be?
Didier: Carrot puree. Pureed vegetables, which Im very good with. However, Im
not sure the baby will digest that.
What is your favorite meal from childhood?

Didier: My favorite meal from childhood? I had a lot, but lets say it was a certain
farm cheese that my grandma used to make, a long, long time ago. It was a white
cheese, like ricotta cheese, but far better in my opinion of course, because it was
from my childhood.
Was it goat cheese?
Didier: No, it was from cow.
If you werent cheffing what would you be doing?
Didier: Thats difficult. Id probably be working with computers.
Do you have a favorite obscure cookbook?
Didier: No. In fact, I am an open source.
Where are you originally from?
Didier: South France. In the montagnes of the Pyrenees, close to Spain.
What is your favorite flavor combination right now?
Didier: Right now, anything with espelette. Its magic. Its a spice from southwest
France near the border with Spain, Basque region. Its hot, but the moment it stops
being hot, the flavor stays. So Im into it.
I love espelette, its one of my favorites! What is the best restaurant meal youve
recently eaten?
Didier: Thats difficult, because I eat to look, I eat to check. To be honest with you,
yes (laughs), I still love my hanger steak (laughs). I dont really have time to go out!
Yes, youre a busy man, so its understood! What is you favorite song, band or
music, and why?
Didier: Hmm. Well, actually Im into the Bolero. Im into the Bolero of Ravel for one
reason: its because it starts very, very small, and it ends up absolutely huge, big. I
like that.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs in the area is?
Didier: I would say the leases in NYC are (getting) shorter and shorter, and the
rents are (going) higher and higher. The people spend less and less. I dont know
how its going to end up, but its going to be ugly. Since 2008, things have changed
drastically. People have jobs, yes, but they are not being paid like the used to be
paid. People suffer, and they will spend the least amount possible. Of course rent
increased, not only for the restaurants or other businesses, but also for
apartments. Airbnb, for example, is one of the main causes, so we are going to see
in a few years how it will end up.
Im very glad you are succeeding.
Didier: I am very, very lucky that I am by myself, and with no debt. If not, I would
suffer greatly.
I can imagine. Its very, very tough lately.
Could you recommend another chef that we could interview for the blog?
Didier: Daniel Boulud is someone I really like, and he makes a very,very good
imprint on NYC and has for a long time.
Thank you Chef Didier!! We are grateful to you for sharing your
Visit Chef Pawlicki at:
Le Village
127 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009
(212) 539-0231
La Sirne & Taureau
558 Broome St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-3061
Well keep you posted on Chef Didier, so please subscribe and
follow!

Tweet it at us now!
Get La Sirene, Le Village & Taureaus dishes delivered to you as

easy-to-cook meal kits !
Click and cook like Didier Pawlicki!
#KnowTheChef:
Chef Utku Cinel of Antique Garage
(Soho, NY)
Chef Utku knows you will be mesmerized by his sage tea.
Chef Utku Cinel, of Antique Garage, in SoHo, fell in love with cooking as a child watching
his parents cook the dishes of their countries in his home in Istanbul. With his mother
from Greece and his father from Turkey, he had a well-rounded exposure to classic
Mediterranean food. In 1992, Cinel traveled to New York and decided to divide his time
between the two continents. While in Turkey, he worked on developing a secret escape
and sea-to-table restaurant where locally caught fish is served same day. Just minutes
away lies his olive plantation where they grow and cold-press their own olive oil and just
next to it, sitting on a cliff by the sea, lies a beautiful estate that Chef Utku sublets to
travelers. An incredibly relaxing experience is rounded out with Utku as your private chef.
Back in New York, Chef Utku happened upon a worn down mechanics den in SoHo. He
jumped on the opportunity to put his love for antiques and food to good use and decorate
his new restaurant. Talent and love are intertwined for Utku, constantly touching upon
both through his antiques, Jazz, and Mediterranean food. He never fails to impress. As
you step into this beautifully repurposed mechanical garage, filled with intricate antiques
and rustic brick, a wave of calm washes over you. The restaurant emits a soothing aura
that you may not usually notice, but is so abundantly present in this hidden gem of SoHo.
Then, theres the food. Nothing about the inventive and delicious plates would scream
antique, but a taste will send you on a classical journey through Greek and Turkish
traditions. This chic restaurant is nothing shy of a masterpiece, similar to the antique
pieces hand-selected by Utku prior to his start as a restaurant owner. His passions are
expressed on the walls and on your plate, youre never short of an experience when you
stumble into this Istanbul-esq hot spot. If you love Jazz, check them out for dinner or
brunch!
Prepare to be serenaded by a live jazz band while you try not to inhale your lamb
meatballs or smoked eggplant dip too fast. Good luck!
Who: Utku Cinel, Chef

Where:
Antique Garage
41 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-1019
How did you become a chef?

Utku My mother came from Greece and my father came from Turkey so I grew up
with Mediterranean food as my passion. I went for a different major in college, but I
decided one day to be a cook. Since I was a kid, I always watched my mom cooking
and I loved it.
Whats the worst dish youve ever made?
Utku Maybe Im not so good with the pork dishes, the Turkish dont eat much
pork.
When did you come to New York?
Utku 1992, but I am constantly back and forth. I have a farmhouse in the western
part of Turkey, a big stone house by the Aegean Sea and we have an olive tree
plantation and we make our own olive oil. We have a small fish restaurant and we
fish everything we serve. Its in the most beautiful area, its very interesting. Its the
most western part of Turkey. I hope to retire there.
What do you believe is the most underrepresented cuisine in the Soho area?
Utku I would like to see a Caribbean cuisine, or maybe a British-style pub? I like
fusion cuisine, I think I am like that as well. My food is a fusion of Turkish, Greek,
Italian. Turkish cuisine is very detailed and labor-intensive, so you dont see a lot of
it around.
Antique Garages Incredible Sage Tea
Whats the worst dish youve ever eaten?

Utku I dont like the spice of curry, so probably Indian food. When I came to the
US, my downstairs neighbor was always cooking with curry and when I would come
home I would smell curry everywhere! But besides that, I like to eat everything. Ill
try anything.
Whats a valuable thing you could tell someone whos learning to cook?
Utku To have an open mind and an open palate. If youre able to taste anything
and know what good food is, then you will be able to cook. Without that, its very
hard.
If you could create a line of signature baby food, what would it be?
Utku Anything with milk and potatoes. Babies will love it! I have a two year-old,
so I know. My daughters name is Kiraz which means cherry in Turkish Food
based of course!
Whats your favorite meal from childhood?

Utku Anything with eggplant. I love eggplant. A special that we do at Antique Garage,
eggplant puree with lamb and beef with eggplant on top, is my moms recipe and I
remember eating it all the time. Every New Year she was cooking that for us, so I
remembered it and started putting it on the menu. People love it. I also
love fish!
Whats your favorite fish?
Utku Mediterranean seabass. We get all of our fish overnight from Turkey! We fillet
it, but we also do with head and tail on some people dont like to see, some people do.
If you werent cheffing, what would you do?
Utku I would be a chef again (laughing). I would be related to the restaurant again. I
designed this restaurant. It was a mechanical garage when I found it. There were two
cars on lifts and oil everywhere. As a hobby, I was collecting all of these antiques and I
knew one day I would open a restaurant and bring in my antiques. Maybe I would be an
interior designer. I designed the whole restaurant by myself. When I first opened, I used
to sell the antiques. You could shop and eat at the same time! People loved it! It was a
crazy idea, but it was a good one.
Whats your favorite cookbook?

Utku I really like the one that Keith McNally has from Balthazar. I also love the
Jean Georges books.
Whats your favorite flavor combination?
Utku I like sage and fish. I also love cilantro and meat. I grow my own sage in
Turkey and I bring it back with me to serve as a tea here. Would you like to try?
( Of course I do. And its incredible.)
Where are you from?
Utku Istanbul, Turkey.
Whats the best restaurant youve gone to recently?
Utku I went to Red Farm in Chelsea, a Chinese restaurant, they modernized the
Chinese cuisine and its so good. Its very clean, very neat, it was a very impressive
meal. A really gorgeous place.
Whats your favorite Song/Band/Music?
Utku I love jazz. Every night we have a live jazz band playing. Stan Getz is my
favorite, as well as John Coltrane.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing other restaurants in the area?
Utku A new restaurant may come about, but as long as you know what you are
doing you can be successful.
Thank you Chef Cinel!! We are grateful to you for sharing your
Visit Chef Cinel at:
Antique Garage
41 Mercer St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-1019
Well keep you posted on Chef Utku, so please subscribe and

follow!

Tweet it at us now!
Get Antique Garages dishes delivered to you as easy-to-cook

meal kits !
Click and cook like Utku Cinel!
#KnowTheChef:
Heather Pelletier of Osteria
Morini
(Soho, NY)
Chef Heather Pelletier, observing a can of tuna

being marginalized and berated from afar.
Chef Michael White and Executive Chef Bill Dorrler of the famed
Altamarea Group are truly in good hands with the humble and
versatile Chef Heather Pelletier. Like the awesomeness of a culinary
coming-of-age flick, Chef Heather worked her way up through the
various stations in Osteria Morinis kitchen over the years. From
basically baking breads, to producing peerless pastries and beyond,
she currently showcases her hard-won culinary prowess as Executive
Sous Chef at the flagship location in SoHo.
Seriously? You havent eaten your way through the menu at Osteria
Morini yet? I feel bad for you, son. If you want based Italian food, and
you are in the general area of lower Manhattan, make the trek to visit
Chef Pelletier at Osteria Morini, and tell her Forkyoo sent ya!
Enjoy some U2 while you read on!
Who: Heather Pelletier, Executive Sous Chef

Where:
Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-8777

Chef Heather: I was always into baking, so I went to pastry school first. I worked
with pastry at first , then I grew kind of bored with it. It was a bit too repetitive, you
know, craft and put things on a plate. So, I started watching the garde manger
station, which is next to the pastry station, and decided that was more exciting, and
just started working in it, and ultimately switched over, and after that worked
through the rest of the stations. Then when the former chef left, they promoted me.
This was like 5 1/2 years ago. Ive been here since we opened in October 2010. I
started at pastry, and by December I was working as garde manger. Its cool to
know both, I have to stay.
Did you just prefer Italian food, or was it just convenient because you were
working here?
Chef Heather: Well, I grew up in Staten Island, which has a large Italian-American
community. I am only part Italian, but I grew up with strong ties to my Italian
relatives. My Italian grandfather always made meatballs and sauce, and all of that
traditional stuff. My aunt is a huge cook too, and she would make her own pasta. I
always liked Italian cooking, so I cooked with them all the time. I wanted to do the
savory side from an early age, but I guess I was intimidated by it, which is why I
initially went with pastries because I felt more confident with baking. I was always
baking; I used to bring the stuff I baked in to class when I was in high school. Once I
started working in restaurants, however, I saw how savory cooking was done, and I
said I can do that. I want to do that.
#omnomnom

Chef Heather: Well, I dont really consider dishes as fully my own; its a
collaboration. Things dont always come out as planned, for sure. I dont know if I
can answer that, I mean nothing even runs as a special until weve tried it a couple
of times and different people have tasted it. If something doesnt come out
completely right, either we just dont do it, or we rework it until is delicious.
What do you believe is the most underrepresented cuisine in SoHo?
Chef Heather: Thats pretty difficult right, because everything is really
represented. In SoHo itself? I feel like there is isnt much in the way of Greek food,
and I really like Greek food, Israeli food, Mediterranean food. I go to visit friends in
Astoria often, and you dont find that kind of stuff in SoHo.
What do you believe is the worst dish youve ever eaten?

Chef Heather: I dont eat canned tuna fish , I think its the most disgusting thing
ever.
This is the pasta that visits me in my dreams.
What would be a valuable cooking hack that you could share with aspiring chefs?
Chef Heather: Most of the time, we do not cook in restaurants is like we do at home.
We dont make everything from start to fish to order in a restaurant. Its basically
having your mise en place; you have all of the parts prepared, and then putting it
together is easy, you just do a bit each day, instead of everything all at once.
As for a specific cooking hack, here is one for halving cherry or grape tomatoes (or
any small round fruit):
Take two separate quart container lids.

Place the fruits on the bottom lid (lid lip facing up).
Put the second lid on top (lid lip facing down).
Gently, but firmly press down on the top lid with the palm of your hand.
Use a serrated knife to slice between the two lids, and through the fruit.
Wow, I never thought of that! That is a great time-saver!

If you could create a signature line of baby food, what would it be?
Chef Heather: I dont know whats appropriate for babies, Im not really around
them that much. I do feel that kids should be introduced to a wider range of food at
a younger age. Instead of everything being just plain mushy peas and carrots,
infuse some interesting flavor into the baby foods, just to introduce the palate to
something more exciting. Again, I dont know how much of that is appropriate at
that young age. I do feel that you could put some more interesting flavors in things
before they even realize it, so that as they get older and eat more, their palate is
already accustomed that flavor.

Chef Heather: Staten Island, NY.
Chef Heather: We do all that stuff for family meal here, make everyones favorites.
My grandfathers meatballs and sauce. Also, like kitschy Americana stuff. Last
week, for instance, we made pigs in a blanket, we made hot dogs, put them in puff
pastry with American cheese. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. You realize that a
lot of people share similar food memories. You realize that a lot of people have this
fondness for weird foods. I like potato chips with American cheese. Mashed
potatoes on a roll with butter, I thought I was alone with this one, then I found out
there was a server here who did the same thing! I get to eat all of this high-level
food working as a chef, that you know, sometimes I miss the junk. I dont eat it
often, but there is definitely strong taste memory there from childhood.
What is your favorite cookbook?
Chef Heather: Its not a cookbook per se, but I use The Flavor Bible for reference
the most. I have a lot of random old-school Italian grandma cookbooks, like The
Splendid Table. Those are probably the ones Ive used the most in the last 5 years.
I have a lot of pastry books too. My favorite pastry book used to be Baking by
Dorie Greenspan.
Chef Heather: I work with seasonal ingredients a lot. Right now Im using a lot of
root vegetables for instance, along with rosemary and sage. Its not necessarily my
favorite, but its what I like to use the most in season. I used to hate fennel, but
now I love to use it. Its not simply the licorice flavor that I used to associate with it,
there is more to it, more use for it. It can be used in the winter or the summer. We
use it with fish, in keeping with our cuisine. Outside of the restaurant, I really like
the Israeli, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern flavors, like we talked about
earlier. I also really like the flavor and texture of Zaatar.
What is the best restaurant meal youve recently eaten?

Chef Heather: When i was in Italy i went to this great restaurant in Modena its
called Hosteria Giusti , and its only open for lunch. It has only 4 tables, so just the
one lunch seating every day- basically only 4 tables get to eat each day. Its in the
back of a salumeria, and its hard to find- it took me forever to actually find it, and I
had to go in and timidly ask about it, even though I had a reservation that I made
by sending an email in Italian (which I dont really speak, had a friend help me!).
Once I figured it out, they opened the counter in the shop and led me through a
small door- it looks like youre going in the back and you emerge into a beautiful,
bright little dining room.
They had amazing salume and pastas, and some other cool dishes, and a great
ambiance so friendly and family run while still being somewhat fancy and
exclusive (only because not many people know about it or go through the effort
to make the reservation and find it!). My server was the son of the chef- an older
lady who came out to chat with me in my broken Italian. She was so warm and
happy to talk to me. It was one of the coolest restaurant experiences Ive ever had
period, not only just recently.
What is your favorite song, band or music?
Chef Heather: I like David Bowie. I have been listening to U2 a lot again recently. I
was into The Hold Steady for a long time. People either love them or hate them, it
seems. A lot of people hate them actually, but I like them because they have this
whole story-telling thing that spans all of their albums. I really like classic rock, but
the truth is I dont really have time to get into new music these days.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing new restaurants in the area?
Chef Heather: Dealing with community boards. We tried to expand next door,
and they werent having it. They want to stop you from getting a liquor license,
impose restrictions on how many guests you can serve at one time, and its like
Dont you want business in your neighborhood? I mean, I can understand if its
like a crazy, rowdy club, but we are just trying to do things properly, and they are
definitely trying to do their job, but it complicates things. There is a lot of red tape.
Then, of course is the fact that its hard to be genuinely unique and competitive
here; there are multiple restaurants of every type, and everyone is just going to
the next new thing. Its hard to be groundbreaking and to build a loyal following,
because there is just so much for them (customers) to choose from in NYC.
Thank you Chef Heather!! We are grateful to you for sharing

your time & adventures with us!
Please visit Chef Pelletier at:
Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 965-8777
Well keep you posted on Chef Pelletier, so please subscribe
and follow!

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#KnowTheChef:
Massimo Fedozzi of Pentimento
(Stony Brook, NY)
Massimo enjoying the night at Roots Bistro Gourmand.
Genoese Chef Massimo Fedozzi is at the helm of Dennis Youngs longstanding Italian tesoro nascosto (hidden gem), Pentimento, in Stony Brook,
NY. Let it be known that Chef Massimo doesnt f$%k around; in a sea of
sunday gravy, deep fried cutlets and pizza joints, he is a jutting promontory of
satisfaction. Fedozzi puts out the genuine article, bona fide regional Italian
cuisine that will make your mouth water like a Pavlovian dog and your head
spin like a top. Like a true artisan, he is a passionate soul: a lover of life, and
clean, earthy food and flavors, which he masterfully weaves together into a
consistently beautiful and delicious finished product. Pair this with elegant
drinks from legendary barman David Marzanos list of powerhouse cocktails
and youll have no reason to leave (Trust me. I once spent close to 10 hours
sitting at the bar there, eating and drinking). When you do decide to go in and
splurge on the experience that is Pentimento, tip your hat to Chef Fedozzi,
GM Lisa Cusumano, Barman David Marzano, and proprietor Dennis Young.
Tellem Forkyoo sent ya.
Who: Massimo Fedozzi, Chef

Where:
Pentimento
93 Main St, Stony Brook, NY 11790
(631) 689-7755
Massimo: The worst dish I ever made? Well, in general, pastry. Im horrible. You
know, Im a chef, and chefs they dont measure. I think that a chef that measures
doesnt know what hes doing, but pastry doesnt work that way.
And its very precise.
Massimo: Exactly. So its a science, its not cooking. And also Im very forgetful. I
forget stuff in the oven. It happened here. I tried to bake and then I will do
something else and then you know, we get a brown/black cheesecake.So I guess the
worst the worst thing that I can make, and I did, is baking and making dessert in
general.
What do you think the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in the area?
Massimo: Well, I think that almost every cuisine is not represented well. We can
talk about Nepalese or we can talk about South African or Maghreb cuisines. Im
going to tell you that Italian cuisine is not represented right. And Im Italian of
course, but amongst the others, and there are many that are not represented in the
right way, is Italian because in Italy we have twenty regions and every region cooks
in a different way and different ingredients. We are always talking about regional
and authentic. We went from the 60s & 70s Italian cuisine, then we went to
Northern cuisine and we dont even know what we were talking about. We just
used a couple of beans and that was Nothern Italian and we just used some cream
and we thought that was Northern Italian because in Northern Italian they use a lot
of butter and cream, thats the stigma, but it is not the truth. We went from Italian,
to Southern Italian, Northern Italian to Tuscan, now lately it has calmed down a
little bit. I come from a region that is Liguria from the capital of the region which is
Genoa and if you move 35 or 30 miles from Genoa they cook in a different way.
Massimo: I mean, I could give you a lot of examples, but youre going to have to
record for five hours. I didnt know what broccoli rabe was until I came to the
United States. I never knew romaine lettuce, I didnt know about people making
baked lasagne with ricotta or meatballs. Here we talk about being locavore,
locavore, locavore. Italians have been locavore for centuries. So you eat whatever
is available on your market. Thats why in Southern Italy they dry everything. We
dont know why, maybe because they have sun almost all year, but they dry
oregano, they dry tomatoes, they dry figs. We dont. If we have fresh tomatoes,
guess what, we use them. If we dont have them, then we dont use it. I like this
Pentimento thing, it means when you scratch the surface you will find the truth.
And this is what we do here, you know, this is what I do here. I try really to be
authentic as much as I can. Sometimes you can, sometimes you cannot.
Yeah, that is great. That is a great answer.
Massimo: Even French cuisine, I mean, we know cassoulet, we know a couple of
things but French cuisine is humongous. If you go to Provence they have one kind
of cuisine, if you go to Normandy they have another kind of cuisine. If you go to
Alsace, the border with Germany they cook in a different way, a lot of beer, a lot of
cabbage, a lot of sausage, so they kind of adopt from the Germans.
That is a very interesting point that you make.

Massimo: And everytime that I say it, they look at me and say there is millions of
Italian restaurants, yes, but they are always the same thing, the baked lasagne, the
veal francese or chicken francese, but do you really think that if, IF, an Italian came
up with a way to cook veal, they would call it francese? Francese means french
style, we would never do that!
It doesnt even make sense, thats true. Interesting. What is the worst dish you
have ever eaten?
Massimo: Im not going to even talk about Italian cuisine or Italian restaurants
because I dont go to them, I think its silly. You know if I want to cook Italian, I cook
at home. I dont go to steakhouses because I think anybody and everybody can grill
a steak. Especially a chef. You know you go, you source a good steak and you grill it
at home. But anyway, the worst meal? I have two, at the same place. I always try to
give them a chance. Do I have to say the name of the place?
Not at all, can you describe the meal?
Massimo: It was the first time I went with my wife, and its a place on the south
shore and this place has been there for 30-35 years. The owner has been a cook in
many Italian restaurants and 30 or so years ago he decided to open his own
restaurant. Unfortunately, maybe he was okay 30 years ago, but the place looked
30 years old and the food looked and tasted 30 years old. I was a little skeptical
when my wife had said, oh, we used to go here when I was a kid. My wife is a foodie
and I am a foodie so she went back after 20 years and it was a disaster. It wasnt
good. They guy is awesome and very nice, but the restaurant looks like a dinosaur, a
dying dinosaur. And the guy never got better.
And stay with the times.
Massimo: Exactly. And so we went a second time was for a Christening, so it was all
of the family and it was just a disaster. It was kind of sad because the guy doesnt
realize. And thats why I dont go to Italian restaurants.
That makes sense. Can you tell us a valuable cooking hack?

Massimo: I dont like to take shortcuts. One of the biggest things that I found out
when I came to the United States is that the American public always wants the
food to look and taste the same. They want consistency. Now I do agree that the
food has to taste good all the time and look good too. Unfortunately, right now its
about looking good before tasting good, but Im not a stickler to consistency. So if
you call it a hack, or a shortcut, I always tell my guys in the kitchen that I am
coming from Grandma. Even if I went to a culinary institute. Where I come from it
is not that important consistency. Yes it has to be consistently good, and good
looking, but to me, its not, because when Mama cooks or Grandma cooks, it never
tastes the same. I can say that a shortcut for me (again, thats why I dont bake,
because you cannot take shortcuts in pastry), but if you want to consider that a
shortcut in that Im very interested in the final product and not how we execute it.
If Chelsea here says, Hey Mas, I think if we do this, its quicker, then I can adapt.
Can I give you an example of a shortcut? When I first came to the States, we didnt
have the right potato to make gnocchi, but the right potato to use is an old red,
never with a new one. We use Yukon here, once in a while, but my gnocchi I make
with ricotta, so I cut the problem. When I came to the States in 84 the only potato
they had was baking potatoes (Russet). So we had to boil them, then peel them and
then put them in the oven to get all the moisture out.
Massimo: First of all, I hope that everybody feeds babies in the right way. I think
there is anything and everything you can desire and anything and everything you
need. I just hope whatever it is in those jars is really the really thing.
Whole foods?
Massimo: Yes, whole food, safe and clean. My first wife used to make our own
baby food and it doesnt take long. Just cook a piece of meat, put it in the Robot
Coupe and you make what you have to make. Carrot, boiled carrots. She used to
make minestrone and then put it in the Robot Coupe and puree it and that was my
kids meal for two days, part of their meal for two days. I wouldnt create anything
different than we already have, I would just make sure that whatever is existing is
really safe and really clean. You know?
Of course.
Massimo: Its funny sometimes, even here, I see parents tell the kids they cant
have Burger King, but then they feed the pasta with butter, fried chicken, french
fries. I mean I dont think pasta with butter is a good meal for a kid. Going out to a
restaurant and the kids eat pasta with butter. I dont understand. Olive oil, garlic, a
nice pecorino romano on top, its awesome, its wholesome. Thats why, for
example, on our childrens menu I dont have chicken fingers and french fries. I
have grilled chicken and vegetables and I can tell you, there are no complaints. We
always have chicken, and if its a real problem,we have flour, eggs, chicken, and
breadcrumbs and can make chicken tenders.
Right so you have everything you need to make it right from scratch.
Massimo: Thats it.

Massimo: Im Italian and I grew up eating pasta, but I cant take pasta anymore. If I
eat pasta, its once a month. But a good homemade gnocchi or ravioli stuffed with
something different, Ill take that. Im a carnivore, so meat. My mom used to make
this brasato, which is a little bit like an Italian pot roast, cooked for hours,
marinated for two days in red wine, and then cooked in the wine. That was
awesome! My aunts meat sauce. My mom is from Piedmont, northern Italy
against the border with France and my aunt used to make a meat sauce with
chicken livers, chicken gizzard and beef. It was to die for. I think something that I
really miss, it was a hazelnut torte that my aunt used to make. She used to oven
roast the hazelnuts, make it into a powder or flour, and then make this hazelnut
torte that is very characteristic of where my mom comes from because that part of
Piedmont they have a lot of hazelnuts. Its where Ferrero Nutella comes from.
Oh wow. That is very interesting.
Massimo: You know what, every meal was awesome. My dad was an owner of
delis, so everything was rich. Thats why I had my quadruple bypass when I was 48,
because of all the fat and all the prosciutto and salami and cold cuts and cheeses,
you know what I mean? What I miss is the family gathering, which we dont have
here.
If you werent cheffing what would you be doing?
Massimo: Thats an awesome question. When I was a kid I wanted to be a cop. And
then I said, no, I want to be in the army, but I want to be an officer. My father, being
a socialist, told me I dont want to see you in a uniform. I was going for translator.
Im very good with languages, I learn very, very quick different languages, foreign
languages, and thats what I was going for. Then I started helping my mom and my
dad in their business, which was deli (my dad had 16 delis), and so I didnt listen
to my dad, my dad told me no, you have to be a lawyer or a doctor, this was in
Italy, but I tell you what, it panned out pretty good. But thats what I was going to
be. I used to want to be a surgeon too. Im a Gemini, so we have all this interests.
Yeah, a bit of everything. Thats a good thing. Do you have a favorite, obscure
cookbook?
Massimo: No, I dont. You know what? I use Google (laughing). For example, we
have a tour of Italy here, and every month we do food from a different region,
paired of course with the wine. Its awesome, we are super-busy, it is usually on a
Tuesday night at the end of every month. This month is Sicily. Next month is
Marche. So I do research on Google. Cookbooks, I like the pictures, but I dont
really read cookbooks, just research on the internet. I like to read Anthony
Bourdains books, because they are funny and pretty truthful, but not cookbooks. I
dont believe in a chef with a cookbook.
Fair enough. Then everything you create is your own.
Massimo: I know guys who will say, what will we do tonight for specials and
they go to pick up a book. I was taught that you open the door of your refrigerator,
look at what is inside and you cook. Anybody can go and buy expensive stuff and
come up with something. A good cook comes up with something outstanding with
a potato.
Right, just out of the bare minimum.
Massimo: Especially Italians, we are frugal.
That makes sense. Where are you originally from?
Massimo: Genoa, Italy.
Massimo: Oh my goodness. Garlic and rosemary.
What is the best restaurant meal you have recently eaten?
Massimo: Roots, in West Islip.
Oh yes, we know them well.
Massimo: Yes, recently, it was last week. It was very good. Its very difficult to
wow me, not because Im difficult, because Ive seen a couple of things in my 55
years and so. It was absolutely well presented, inventive, and the most important
thing to me, it was flavorful. I went to another restaurant that everybody loves,
and there was not one dish that, you know. salt does miracles.
Yes Ive learned to be much more generous with my salt than I used to be.
Massimo: You have to do the right thing. Salt is a flavor enhancer. Especially sea
salt. Kosher is so-so. But Roots is very good. I have to try Lake House. Usually my
wife and I try to go to Manhattan. We went to a couple of restaurants. We are
foodies, we drive to Washington to go to restaurants, we drive to Philadelphia to
go to restaurants.
Thats awesome, you go where the good food brings you. Could you recommend
another chef or two that you think we can interview for the blog?
Massimo: Well, you did Philippe, at Roots I guess. Did you do Trattoria?
Yes, we did Roots, but we did not do Trattoria.
Massimo: Yeah, Steve is a good guy.
Yes, Nick knows him, great idea. Thank you! What is your favorite
song/band/music? Why?
Massimo: You know, Im oldIm not old, but old-er. But Im in love with EDM. My
wife and I, our station is on satellite, of course I cannot remember the name of it.
Yeah, I like all these DJs and my favorite band if I have to listen to them, just them
is One Republic. But I like The Fray, I like Phoenix, its a French band. Do you
know Phoenix?
Im not sure, it sounds familiar.
Massimo: We recently just discovered, recently meaning like 5-6 months ago,
War On Drugs which is very good. Its a blend of Dire Straits, and Tears for Fears
and Bob Dylan. Very good music, if you talk about old bands, I like Nickelback,
Linkin Park, Puddle of Mud, theres a lot. Lifehouse, I like Lifehouse. Theres a lot.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing restaurateurs in this area is?
Massimo: In all honesty, if you look at restaurants that are extremely successful.
They are those restaurants that offer a different product. Present themselves in a
different way. I mean we can talk about eatMosaic, they have a prix fix menu, they
are very inventive. We need to go there, we went to Roots because they were
closed for vacation. Another name is Beers, Burgers and Desserts. Its not highend, but its different. We like it. We dont go there expecting the same food as we
are expecting from Roots, but they are extremely, extremely successful. This
(Pentimento) is extremely successful. We do the right thing. We treat the people
like family, I mean Lisa knows, Dennis too, but she knows every person that comes
in. But they open restaurants on the island every day. Look at Del Fuego, its
extremely successful. They offer a great product, its very affordable. And places
like Pentimento that have been established like this for 21 years, they dont need
to anything else but continue what we are doing. We are evolving too. We change
the menu twice a year, we use you guys (Metoac Forage), we use local fisherman. I
use scungilli from Greenport. We are evolving. That is the secret. You have to have
to evolve, you cant just stay and say okay. Youll become a dinosaur. I have
concepts in mind that if I could open the concept I know it would be very
successful. I mean all these Italian restaurants, how many places do you want
where you can have chicken parmesan and veal francese. You have to be careful,
because this is the Island, this is not Manhattan. This is not San Fran, this is not Los
Angeles. This is not Houston either. You know. But if you open something
interesting and affordable, the secret is that, you want the people to come back. So
you have to offer people something affordable, good food, great service. Exactly
like that. Great service and good food, exactly like that. The food doesnt have to
be great, unfortunately, the service is more important than quality of the food.
Sad, but I think they can be successful. But they keep opening the same Italian, or
wannabe Italian, and people are very discerning now.
Yes, that is true.
Massimo: When I came to the United States, they used to drink coffee. When I
came to the states, they didnt know what basil was, they didnt know what
foccacia was, they didnt know what fresh garlic was. It was granulated garlic,
dried basil, dried oregano. Now we have the right tools, we have fresh herbs.
Anything and everything is available now and people are more discerning. The
know what burrata is, they know polenta, they know stinging nettle. I mean not
middle America, but in food towns. I think on Long Island we see always the same
restaurant opening. People want something different. The most important thing is
demographic. Open the right restaurant in the right location.
Thank you Chef Massimo!! We are grateful to you for sharing

Please visit Chef Fedozzi at:
Pentimento
93 Main St, Stony Brook, NY 11790
(631) 689-7755
Well keep you posted on Chef Fedozzi, so please subscribe
and follow!

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kits?
#KnowTheChef:
Massimo Sola of Mamo
(Soho, NY)
Just finished skiing from Crans-Montana to an Elton John

concert, pre-service. 160 couverts tonight? Dunzo!
NYC is a tough nut to crack, especially when your business is Italian

restaurants. If anyone can do it, its the two gentlemen at Mamo in
NYC. Culinary wunderkind Chef Massimo Sola is building something
awesome here in SoHo, along with his partner, restaurateur Mike
Mammoliti . Executive Chef Sola is the wonderfully humble Michelinstarred chef (ex-Quattro Mori), who helped launch the Eataly Roma
juggernaut (alongside Oscar Farinetti). This new partnership is as
well-crafted and deliberated as the mouth-wateringly honest dishes
that Sola and his kitchen put out. Mammoliti & Sola bring the
Italian-Provenal flavor, the humility, the work ethic and the
experience necessary to build a legacy and a loyal following here in
SoHo, just like they did in Southern Europe before.
When you cant make it to Cannes to dine at Mamo Le Michelangelo,
I strongly suggest you go out of your way to dine at the newest
addition, Mamo NYC.
Enjoy some Elton John and read on.
Who: Massimo Sola, Executive Chef

Where:
Mamo
323 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013
(646) 964-4641
Chef Massimo: I started this beautiful job 33 years ago in Italy, and I was a waiter. I
went to school in Liguria, a nice village on the sea, in the north west of Italy. I did 5
years there, and after that I started as waiter. I did everything, and became a
captain at a 5-star restaurant in Switzerland. After that I opened my own
restaurant in Varese, its a nice town near Milan and near Switzerland, right in Italy.
I was the owner, but I was also the waiter, etc.., so I would serve people; it was a
very nice restaurant. I also taught school for 8 years.
I used to visit Michelin-starred restaurants, I love these kind of of restaurants. In
2005, I decided I wanted to my restaurant to grow, I wanted to increase the quality
of my restaurant. I tried to explain this to my chef, but he didnt understand what I
meant. So, I closed my restaurant for 10 days, and I started working alone in the
kitchen with my wife. A few people in the beginning, and then we grew. Over the
next two years we went to other restaurants for 15 or 20 days at a time to train
with other chefs, Michelin-starred chefs in Italy, Spain, Switzerland. These chefs
were friends of mine so I stayed with them for free, to learn how to cook in
different ways. So in 2 years I got my first Michelin star, it was crazy, and even now
I still cant believe it. Its not so easy to get. I continued with my first restaurant for
4 more years, until 2009. It was one of the best restaurants in Italy. You know, I
worked so hard in this period.
And your wife is a chef as well?
Chef Massimo: Shes a pastry chef and baker. She was half of the restaurant. We
closed because
because you came here?

Chef Massimo: No, I went to Rome for a year and worked for a big group called
Eataly, you have one here in NY. I helped open the biggest Italian marketplace in
the world, which is in Rome; there are about 28 restaurants in that store, it was
great. About $72 million in the first year, it was incredible. Then I went to Beirut,
and on to San Diego last year for a project, and Ive been in NY since March. We
launched Mamo in May, but I had to take some time to prepare, to organize, to find
the suppliers, to find good people for the kitchen. It was a lot of work.
Thats a very impressive background! What do you believe is the worst dish you
ve ever made?
Chef Massimo: There all so good (laughs) Maybe, a soup? You know, when a chef
doesnt like something its not good, but you are obliged to prepare it, and its
difficult. If we only prepare what we like, it would be great but, its not always
possible. In a menu you have to put items like soups, pasta, meat and fish, so we are
sometimes obliged to make things that we dont always love. I tried to make some
fish for a special one time, and it was awful. Really awful.
What do you think the most underrepresented cuisine in SoHo?
Chef Massimo: Well, we have Italian, French American. I would like to find some
more American. It think they have good culture and cuisine, they are smart, but I
still havent tried real American cuisine. A typical American restaurant.
Yeah, I guess youre right most American restaurants in Soho seem to really be
fusion cuisine
Chef Massimo: Yes, fusion, thats not real American cuisine. Like in Italy you can
find Japanese and Chinese, they make fusion, and I dont like it. I found a really
good Chinese restaurant in London, not in Italy. There are many Japanese
restaurants in NY that are real Japanese for instance, I like this, I dont like the
fusion. I like traditional.

Chef Massimo: The worst was in Beirut. They brain of a goat. It was not good.
What do you think is a valuable cooking hack or shortcut that you could share
with an aspiring chef?
Chef Massimo: I have to prepare some things pre-cooked in a big restaurant like
ours, because when we have 160 people in a night, it is impossible to serve a
risotto, for example in 10 minutes, when you cook the risotto in 20 minutes. So
thats why I pre-cook the rice so it can be ready in 10 minutes. If I had to suggest to
someone else outside of the restaurant, I would tell them start at the beginning
with the risotto, cook it to order.
Chef Massimo: I love baby food! They (kids) love pasta. Both of my kids have
celiac, and are gluten-free. So I started 8 years ago to create a baby food line,
because they cant eat bread, pasta, etc.. So I was trying to give them the possibility
of eating lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi, tagliatelle made with a special flour. I started to
prepare this for them, and they loved it. All gluten-free. I trust in gluten-free; its a
good market, and I love kids, Ill do anything for them.
That must be hard for Italian kids to be gluten-free!

Chef Massimo: Well the boy was so little, so he doesnt really know eating focaccia,
pizza or bread, but the girl, she goes crazy, and shed like to taste these things again,
but she can not.
Chef Massimo: My mamas pasta. Spinach and ricotta ravioli. Both together, and
topped only with butter and Parmesan cheese, thats it. So simple. Near where my
mother is from in thePiedmont, we serve the ravioli in a napkin. You poach the
ravioli in boiling water, remove them, put them in the napkin like so, and bring them
to the customers table. Its the best ravioli youll ever eat in your life! If the ravioli
is good you dont need any sauce.
If you werent a chef, what would you do?
I love the army. In Italy when you are 18-19 you go to the army. I loved it. They
wanted to keep me longer, but I ended up going to school.
What is your favorite cookbook?
All of Alain Ducasses cookbooks. He is the best. He is like me, though I am not the
best, he is not only a cook, as he hasnt cooked (professionally) in 20 years. He is like
me, in that I prefer to organize, to train people, to show them. I love my job. When I
go to Spain, or France, not only for vacation, but to study and learn, I often come
back with ideas that Ill tell to my sous chef, I want to give to them. Alain Ducasse
has done this for many, many year. He is also a great businessman, this is another
thing; I am not a good businessman.
I was born in Milan, and then my family moved to Varese which is about 40 KM
from Milan and about 40 km from Lugano, Switzerland. I left my town when I was
16. I finished my language school, and I went to French Switzerland to learn the
language better, and to work in a restaurant. I started as a dishwasher. Then I went
to school, and then to the army, after which I started as a waiter.
In which Swiss city was the French restaurant you first worked at?
It was a mountain village called Crans-Montana. Its a great, great village. Its
famous for skiing. I love skiing.
As I get older, I become more traditional, but I love to put, for example, dark
chocolate in a beef sauce. Its crazy, but its good, because its not sweet so much as
its bitter. I believe you have to balance the texture, the bitterness, the acidity, etc

Not here yet, but I had a great dinner in San Sebastin, in the north of Spain, by the
Basque region. Akelae, for me one of the best. He (Pedro Subijana) is 60 years old,
just a wonderful chef. Hes a great guy. 3 Michelin Stars. And In Italy (Mantua), Dal
Pescatore, 3 Michelin stars, shes a great chef (Nadia Santini). I love them. The
Italians are traditional, and the Spanish are more daring, but you know hes 60
years old, and its great to see how passionate he is in his work.
What is your favorite song, band or music?
Elton John.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing new restaurants in the area?
For me, I trust a lot in cooperation, because I know if I attract people to the area
because I did well, then we will all benefit, and vice versa. After I earned my
Michelin star in Varese, the food journals and critics took notice of all of the other
great restaurants in the area. Each restaurant is doing something different, and
thats okay.. Its not good to copy, though. Try to do your best, with what you have
inside. Thats what I try to explain to my chef. Yes, we have to cook my cuisine here,
so you have to do what I ask, but if I ask for you to create something new, dont
make my dish your way, make your own dish. In the beginning, I was looking at the
other restaurants and I wanted to copy their dishes, but as time went on something
changed in me. I dont need that, I dont want to do that. Its confidence.
Thank you Chef Massimo!! We are grateful to you for sharing

Please visit Chef Sola at:
Mamo
323 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013
(646) 964-4641
Well keep you posted on Chef Sola, so please subscribe and

follow!

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#KnowTheChef:
Jeremy Marshall of Aquagrill
(Soho, NY)
No big deal. Just shucked over 9000 East Beach

Blondes using sheer will power.
Out of all of the seafood joints in New York City, the consistently
excellent, constantly bustling Aquagrill (SoHo, NYC) floats
effortlessly above the rest. Powerhouse Chef Jeremy Marshall, and
his partner/wife Jennifer will settle your soul with their ultra fresh
seafood offerings. Expertly crafted and balanced, Chef Marshall and
his team spin the plates that keep their restaurant hot, and for any
potential copycats out there: good luck trying to replicate it! Back in
the 70s and 80s, Chef Jeremy ran the gauntlet in some of NYCs
toughest French kitchens, his biggest paychecks coming in the form of
hard-won experience. The echoes of his storied journey inform every
dish he crafts, bridging the past with the contemporary, and with
more care and skill than you can shake a boat hook at.
If you are looking for transcendent seafood, throw on your Sperry
Top-Siders and pay a visit to Aquagrill the absolute first chance you
get.
In the meantime crank By The Numbers by The Who, and enjoy the
read!
Who: Jeremy Marshall, Executive Chef

Where:
Aquagrill
210 Spring St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 274-0505
Chef Marshall: Well, I basically started working in restaurants when I was 14. I
grew up on the Upper West Side. As soon as I got my working papers I went and
applied for a job. I got a job that day as a delivery boy for an Italian restaurant, and
then after everything takes off and they were really busy, they made me a bus boy,
and then they asked me if I could help out prepping, you know. I helped the prep
guy, I sort of liked that, but I was in high school so it didnt last a tremendously long
time. Then in my last year of high school, I was considering what to do, so it was
either go to Cornell for Hotel & Restaurant Management, or go to the CIA, so I
decided to go to the Culinary Institute. So in my last year of high school I was
working in my friends fathers restaurant on East 55th Street, and that sort of
lasted for a few months, you know, I was delivering bread for them earlier, for the
whole year, but at this point I was 17 and I could drive a car and I would deliver to
all of these restaurants, so I would get to smell all of this great food, and you know
have that experience.
So, I got into CIA, but there was a waiting period at first, so they gave me a position
in a kitchen, which I didnt love, Im not going to name the restaurant, but I burned
my hand pretty badly. The chef said, you know Go take the rice out of the pot and
put it over there, but he didnt tell me the pot was hot, and you know, I wasnt a
seasoned kitchen worker, so I grabbed the pot handle with my bare hand and it
stuck to it, and I decided, You know what, I dont like this chef (laughing)
Anyhow, it turned out my mother was selling her car, and one of the people she was
trying to sell it to was a waiter at this place called The Olympic Tower, and she said
Oh, my son is going to cooking school, can you get him an interview with the chef?
The guy introduced me to the chef, and the chef sent me to three other chefs, most
of these places arent around now, but one was at Le Cirque, one was at La Petite
Marmite, and one was La Cote Basque.
Perfectly blanched haricots verts.
All French?
Chef Marshall: Yeah, there were no American restaurants, all French. So I went to
meet with all 3 chefs, and the most obnoxious one was the one who ended up giving
me a job. (laughing)
Which one?
Chef Marshall: Le Cirque (Alain Sailhac).
No way! (laughing)
Chef Marshall: Ironically, I was just at his 80th surprise birthday party at Jacques
Torres two nights ago.
He is the dean at ICC, where I went! He is the nicest guy! Was he tough to work
with?
Chef Marshall: No, well, he tortured me a little bit, but in hindsight I appreciate it.
He made me do some things that were sort of wicked, but you know I have a lot of
respect for him. He taught me more there in the 6 months before I started the
Culinary Institute that I was so far ahead of everybody else; its like I went to grad
school for 6 months before I actually went to school, so I had a big head start there,
I was like a sponge. I worked there 12-14 hours a day, my parents gave me $50 per
week, and I didnt see the light of day for 6 months.
They would give me things to do and I would do them, and I became good at them. It
was a drug. I was fueled by the joy of having the work piled on, so I got to this stage
where I was like Ill do it, Ill do it because the more I took on, the more I learned. I
this was my real, practical educations. So I went to school, then came my
externship. I went to the UN Plaza Hotel, and they put me in charge of the dining
room at night, which was really quiet. Then Alain Sailhac called me, and asked me if
I wanted to come back, because they had a position open, and I told him that I was
in the middle of my internship, will you do an internship with me. He told me he
never did one before, so I talked to the school, and arranged it for them, got the
paperwork, and it turned out I was their first extern that ever worked there. So, I
worked there for another 6 months, before I went back to school. It was a great
experience. Thats how it started. If youre good enough to survive, you can thrive.
It was a great experience.
Chef Marshall: Wow. You tend to block those out of your head. Youd have to ask
my wife. (laughs) Shes more critical, you know. As a chef you think that every dish
you make is great, conceptually you dont think theyre bad at all, but some work
better than others. I cant tell you, I dont know. I base it more on popularity, I dont
really cook for myself here. The whole design of our food, is to make interesting
creations that everyone likes. You judge that by how the menu items sell.
Obviously, there are some that people love and go nuts over, and then there are
some they simply like, or some that are more popular seasonally. Essentially, if we
have a loser on the menu, then we take it off, and we replace it. You can tell after
say, two weeks. If the waiters like it, then it sells. Its the same thing with the
specials. If the waiters dont like it, then it isnt going anywhere. Thats the first test,
after I coerce them into selling it. The second test is do the customers actually clean
Chef Marshall: their plates and like it, or eat 90% of it, and what is their feedback?
I think thats our success, I understand what people like. You know, Im not Wylie
Dufresne trying to make this cutting edge stuff, which is great, but in many ways
people go there for that experience, rather than going for the sort of soul-searching
dining saying Oh wow, thats delicious, I love that! Its really a special type of
experience, molecular gastronomy, but theres a lot of bells and whistles involved
with that. I dont cook like that at all, I dont do any of that.
People arent necessarily going out to do dinner because they are craving
molecular gastronomy dishes
Chef Marshall: Right, You want to feed your soul. I always say, the Italians are
perfect at it, the French are really good, and they sort of balance the two, and for us
its about perfect combinations. Most of the time, we only eat Italian food! The
funny thing is that you really dont find other cuisines, aside from in the big cities,
represented in Italy. In France youll find more cuisines represented. I think for me,
the take away from that is the artistic side, and really the love of feeding people.
That means a lot to me.
Yeah, I think that most successful chefs probably have that.
Chef Marshall: Well thats the thing, there are a lot of talented people out that don
t understand that you really have to feel your customers and know what they are
looking for because thats where youll find your success, you know?
What do you believe is the most underrepresented cuisine in the area?
Chef Marshall: Its not Japanese. In SoHo? It might be Japanese to a point. Well, we
have Spanish, we have Italian. French is pretty lean now, all over the place. French
cuisine has kind of gone by the way side; its almost dangerous to try to open a
French restaurant, I think. I guess French, Id say French. Theres plenty of Italian
restaurants, theres Jamaican, Miss Lilys. The food is really good there, its a great
place. Have you been there?
Aww, shucks.
No, I havent been yet, but Ive heard its amazing. Ive met the chef there, but
have yet to try their food.
Chef Marshall: Yeah, they have take-out around the corner. The jerk chicken is
really good. It tastes like its made in Jamaica.
Chef Marshall: Come on! These are tough! I would probably say airline food.
Alitalia. I got violently sick. You want me to spell that for you? (laughing) Airline
food on Alitalia. Mystery food, and I got food poisoning.
Did you complain? Did they do anything for you?
Chef Marshall: Yeah, and they did nothing! Thats why I want to make sure its
spelled properly!
No, I havent been yet, but Ive heard its amazing. Ive met the chef there, but
have yet to try their food.
Chef Marshall: Yeah, they have take-out around the corner. The jerk chicken is
really good. It tastes like its made in Jamaica.
Chef Marshall: Come on! These are tough! I would probably say airline food.
Alitalia. I got violently sick. You want me to spell that for you? (laughing) Airline
food on Alitalia. Mystery food, and I got food poisoning.
Did you complain? Did they do anything for you?
Chef Marshall: Yeah, and they did nothing! Thats why I want to make sure its
spelled properly!
What do you think is a valuable cooking hack or shortcut you could share with an
aspiring chef?
Chef Marshall: Well, youve got to keep up on the line, and I think that the shortcut
cant effect the end product, so youve got to learn how to cheat, like cut time,
without sacrificing quality. The one thing you cant do is NOT season the food. That
would be the one thing Id say you cant do. I guess Id say, pre-blanching things, for
consistency. You know a lot of people try to do everything at the last second, but
what I find is that there are so many inconsistencies with that. Unless you have a
really sharp kitchen, you might blanch a string bean for 2 minutes and 30 seconds
one time for a certain dish, and then the next time 2 minutes and 45 seconds, and
another time 2 minutes and 20 seconds. but that small difference in cooking time
makes a huge difference in terms of flavor, whether its slightly over-cooked or
slightly under-cooked. So, Id say pre-blanching, or pre-preparing up to the point of
consistency in general. We try to do high-end food here, but our pace is dictated by
the customer, however we try to slow them down, they set the pace. Its New York.
There are some restaurants where you know you are going to be there for three
hours, but here, no matter what we do, customers set that faster pace. Come here
Sunday night, youll see; people want to eat and get home. I think its the stress of
Monday.
Chef Marshall: I used to make my own baby food for my kids! It would probably be
just pure flavors. Just straight forward vegetables. Carrot puree. You cant even
really season them as you would with an older person, even a 6-year-old. Those
were probably some of my mistakes when making baby food. My older son, who I
made the baby food for, doesnt really like soft foods now. (laughs) Now we have
these Vitamix blenders, they can make baby food out of anything, you know human
body parts probably.
What was your favorite meal from childhood?
Chef Marshall: Pastrami sandwich.
Just straight pastrami? No swiss, no coleslaw?
Chef Marshall: What? No, come on! Pastrami on rye with mustard. Hot! The only
place you can really get the right one is Katzs.
If you werent a chef what would you be?
Chef Marshall: Id probably be in finance.
What would you say is your favorite obscure cookbook?

Chef Marshall: Ahhh, interesting. I wouldnt say its obscure, but when it came out, I
think it was Jean Georges first cookbook, Simple Cuisine, I loved that at the time
because it had these oils and juices he was doing, it was really transformative for
French cuisine. From the old sort of cream-and-butter heavy French food to this
clean, modern version. It was back in 89 or 90, but it was the start of the whole
transition from classic French approach, and for a young cook, it really helped
bridge the gap to a more modern French approach.
Chef Marshall: Upper West Side. West 77th Street.
Chef Marshall: I just made chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for my son (laughing), so
well leave it at that!
What is your favorite song band or music, and why?
Chef Marshall: I listened to some Billy Joel last night, but hes not my favorite.
Maybe The Who, but its hard to pick one song. I guess Id have to say,Blue, Red &
Grey. No, definitely The Beatles. They are my favorite. Its too hard to pick one
song.
What do you think the greatest challenge facing restaurateurs in the area is?
Chef Marshall: Well in the area, out of the area, all over NY this minimum wage
hike they just did for tipped employees, which is completely asinine. That and a lot
of the government compliance that we have to do. Its very difficult to run a
restaurant, you know, the bottom line is just shrinking away. Im all for raising
minimum wage, but when they raise non-tipped employees by $.25, and they raise
tipped employees by $2.50, which is 50% of their current house pay, that doesnt
make any sense. If anything it should be the opposite, because if you compare the
average hourly rates of tipped versus non-tipped employees its probably
something like two-thirds to one-third. Whats the justification for that? It seems
like the restaurant advocacy groups werent present while the politicians just sat
back and came up with these new rules. Its really oppressive. It adds hundreds of
thousands of dollars to our expenditures, which are already outrageous. Probably
the most important thing, I would say, is that in NYC the water charges are
outrageous. We pay close to $80,000 per year in water charges. Water!
Thank you Chef Jeremy!! We are grateful to you for sharing

your time & memories with us!
Please visit Chef Marshall at:
Aquagrill
(212) 274-0505
Well keep you posted on Chef Marshall, so please subscribe

and follow!

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#KnowTheChef:
Chef Steven Gallagher of The Trattoria
(St. James, NY)
Chef Steve, smiling at a roasted goose.
Ive known the laconic and hilarious Chef Steven Gallagher since he and I
worked together almost a decade ago at Eric Lomondos storied Kitchen A
Bistro, on Restaurant Row in St. James, NY. After working his ass off with
Chef Eric, Steve, who has been cooking since his youth, purchased Kitchen A
Trattoria from Chef Lomondo (who had just recently opened Orto in Mt. Sinai,
NY), and spun it into The Trattoria, one of the best rustic Italian restaurants in
lower New York. Chef Gallaghers focused commitment to quality, consistency
and service is matched only by his wit, and his ceaseless desire to improve and
evolve each day, a rare trait that he shares with his mentor, Lomondo. Steve is
a wryly funny, sharp and dedicated chef of the highest caliber.
My advice: definitely go out of your way to eat at The Trattoria; you
absolutely wont be sorry. If you dont, well then enjoy your Francesco Rinaldi.
Who: Steven Gallagher, Chef

Where:
The Trattoria
532 N Country Rd, St James, NY 11780
(631) 584-3518
Steve: I dont know, there have truly been a few of them. Probably goose. I ruined
Christmas goose one year.
Did you?
Steve: Yeah, it just came out so bad I never even tried to cook goose again.
Just leave it to the Germans.
Steve: This past winter I was eating at Chez Panisse and they did a goose carpaccio,
so I think maybe youre just not supposed to cook it.
Hahaha. What is the most under represented ethnic cuisine in the area?
Steve: I would say Vietnamese food.
Thats what I was thinking. They have that Rolling Spring Roll in Farmingdale.
Steve: Yeah, Ive been meaning to get out to it. Ive heard a lot of good stuff about
it.
I had a great ph and a great bnh m. Whats the worst dish you have ever eaten?
Aside from that goose.
Steve: Same.
Grouper w/ roasted squash, brussels sprouts & apple-fennel salad
Whats a valuable cooking hack that you use or you think people can benefit
from?
Steve: Just like a nifty little trick, right? I try not to hack stuff out. I think that it is
more about repetition, the more you do something the more you get out of it. Im
trying to think of different techniques that most people wouldnt know of, that to
me just seem normal, like everyday type of stuff.
Right, stuff youve used so often that you take it for granted?
Steve: Yeah.
Well, it seems to be a common theme amongst chefs that there are no hacks, just
be good at what you do and repetition. If you could create a line of signature baby
food, what would it be or look like, or what kinds of things would you use?
Steve: Baby food?
Yeah.
Steve: It would be pureed vegetables. Haha.
Whats your favorite meal from childhood?

Steve: That should go into whats the worst thing I ever ate! My mother is a terrible
cook. Growing up one of my favorite things she would always make was Minute Rice
with some store bought thick-sliced roast beef that was heated up in some FrancoAmerican gravy.
Thats awesome! Thats a great, honest answer. And here we are today in your
awesome restaurant with your massive cooking skills.
Steve: Yeah, it was like that and we would usually get canned green beans with it..
Canned green beans? Dont sleep on canned green beans.
Steve: Oh man, I would never eat those again in my life.
Hahaha. If you werent cheffing, what would you be doing?
Steve: I dont know. Hopefully nothing. I dont know, I got into this at a pretty young
age. I havent really explored many other options. So its hard to say. Maybe in the wine
industry.
Thats fair. Wine is definitely delicious. Do you have a favorite obscure cookbook?
Steve: I dont know if its obscure or not, but one book that I really like, its hard to find
now, is the Encyclopedia of Fish.
Oh wow. Ive never even heard of that.
Steve: Yeah, its been out of print for many years, but its a pretty interesting book.
It tells you everything? Like how to cook it?
Steve: Not how to cook it, but it has descriptions of every species of fish.
From a culinary perspective, or just straight scientific?

Steve: It has some culinary tidbits to it, but yeah you basically can use it to identify
any species and subspecies of fish. Its a really interesting book.
Thats pretty cool. Thats probably a better asset to a good cook than just a
cookbook. It is kind of on the periphery of cooking anyway. Thats interesting.
Steve: James Beards Guide to American Cookerybut that didnt help the goose.
Hahaha. Where are you originally from?
Steve: Lake Ronkonkoma, New York.
Whats your favorite flavor combination right now?
Steve: I think right now its kind of like corn and charred. Not swiss chard, but
charred corn. Cooked pretty dark. We grill it up hard so that a good portion of it is
black. It gives it a smoky flavor.
It gives it almost that Southwestern or Mexican kind of flavor, right?
Steve: What youd expect at an Italian restaurant. Haha.
Exactly.
Steve: Right now we are doing that with some fresh fregola and fresh fava beans.
Its been pretty popular and I really like it, and I have to switch it up soon because it
s been on the menu for a while and I try not to fall in love with anything. People
tend to get tired of it even if you dont.
Thats a really good principle, in my limited opinion, for running a successful
restaurant. Its like being a really good artist, its always evolving. Whats the best
restaurant meal youve eaten recently? You probably dont get to go out too
much, working all the time.
Steve: My wife and I just went and had dinner at Marea in Manhattan.
Oh, nice.
Steve: It was Memorial Day weekend. We went out there, ordered a couple of
appetizers and split 4 entrees.
Thats how I like to go out and eat. Try a bunch of different stuff.
Steve: Yeah, so we ate a bunch of pastas, it was just really, really good.
I havent been to Marea yet. I would love to check it out. Can you recommend
another chef or two that you think we can interview for the blog?
Steve: Have you tried Eric Lomando yet?
No, I havent yet. I will have to reach out to him.
Steve: There is also Steve Scalesse at Tullulahs. Hes a really nice guy.
Oh yeah, I ate there a while ago, good stuff.
What is your favorite song/band/music?

Steve: I have a pretty eclectic taste depending on the day or the mood. I listen to a
lot of 90s rock.
What have you been playing lately. What do you play in the kitchen?
Steve: Caliente playing on XM radio. I dont have the loudest voice. Bartolo, my
sous chef kind of runs the day to day, so whatever he picks. Ill listen to the 90s
rock station or trying not to freak out maybe Ill put on reggae or something a little
more mellow. I always loved the Beastie Boys.
Yeah, the Beastie Boys are great. I havent listened to them in a minute. What do
you think the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs are today?
Steve: Finding qualified, willing and able help. I dont know anybody who doesnt
have a shortage of help or who isnt looking, especially in the kitchen. Im pretty
fortunate in the kitchen, but for the most part its a pretty tight job market. Theres
just not enough to go around.
Thank you Chef Gallagher!! We are grateful to you for sharing

Please visit Chef Steve at:
The Trattoria
532 N Country Rd, St James, NY 11780
(631) 584-3518
Well keep you posted on Chef Gallagher, so please subscribe

and follow!

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#KnowTheChef:
Chef Stephan Bogardus of
North Fork Table & Inn
(Southold, NY)
Chef Steph, harvesting a Cabbage Patch Kid.
I first met culinary whiz kid Chef Stephan Bogardus when he was cooking
with Gerry Hayden (ex-Aureole) & Claudia Fleming (ex-Gramercy Tavern) at
the award-winning North Fork Table & Inn in Southold, NY. In the Spring and
Fall, he and Gerry would take the wild edibles that I wrested from the local
fields & hollows, and make a sport of showcasing them. For a time, Chef Steph,
a native of North Fork Long Island wine country ventured north, to slay the
culinary beast in The Flower City (Rochester, NY), at Locust Hill Country Club .
Happily, Chef Bogardus is back, getting busy juggling the blades at NOFTI.
When he's got the odd-day off, you can find him getting tattooed, being a
gentleman, hunting wild game, foraging for woodland edibles, crushing some
yoga, and generally enjoying outdoor life. Chef Bogardus is a true culinary
samurai, & we a lucky to have his passionate cooking back here on Long
Island. Lucky us!
Visit Chef Bogardus at NOFOTI and welcome him home!
Who: Stephan Bogardus, Chef

Where:
57225 Main Road, Southold, NY 11971
(631) 765-0177
Chef Bogardus: I once added pineapple to a farce which was the stuffing for two
porchettas for a very important event. The bromelain in the pineapple destroyed
the farce and turned it all into cat food. I ground up some meat and wrapped some
loins with the new farce, roasted then wrapped it all in the skin of the original
porchettas. No one was the wiser, but I consider that day my greatest failure as far
as execution of a dish.
What was the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in Rochester?
Chef Bogardus: Good French Restaurants. But I have always had a love for
Cuisine classique.
What is the Worst Dish You Have Ever Eaten?
Chef Bogardus: While still attending the Culinary Institute of America, a student
who had family meal responsibilities decided to put raw quinoa into some braised
spinach toward the end of the cooking process for an added crunch. The spinach
was completely inedible, and I almost chipped a tooth but we all made sure to tell
him how awful it was.
Can you tell us a valuable cooking hack or shortcut?
Chef Bogardus: Pay attention to what you are doing at all times, always think am
I doing this process the best and most efficient way possible? No real hack there, it
s just how good cooks work.
Chef Bogardus: Stephanitely Great Baby Food.

Chef Bogardus: My mothers chicken pot pie, to this day I look forward to the rare
occasions I get to enjoy the dish.
If you werent cheffing youd be..?
Chef Bogardus: Ive contemplated this for a long time, and have yet to come up
with an answer. I love going fast and would love to race professionally, probably
motorcycles or cars.
What is your favorite obscure cookbook?
Chef Bogardus: Fork Me, Spoon Me by Amy Reiley. I hardly ever read cookbooks or
use recipes anymore, but I have had this book for quite some time, and love the
name and what the book is all about.
Chef Bogardus:
Cutchogue, New York.
Grown on Long Island, and I even have the tattoo to prove it!!

Chef Bogardus: Sherry vinegar and birch syrup. I eat a lot of wild game, and this
makes an amazing sauce, along with the liquids left from reheating smoked venison.
The flavors that this gastrique form are some of my favorite, and are quick to
produce.
Chef Bogardus: I do not get out to eat much because of my work schedule, but I
would have to say the braised Oxtail and Tripe ragout at Good Luck here in
Rochester. No one in town knows who I am, so its easy to fly under the radar and
get the same meal as normal guests.
Could you recommend another chef or two that you think we could interview for
the blog?
Chef Bogardus: Zach Dick at Next Door Bar and Grill by Wegmans and Kyle
Puchir of Rotisserie Georgette in Manhattan. He is a very good friend of mine.
What is your favorite song/band or musician?
Chef Bogardus: I am listening to a lot of Glass Animals, songs I really like are
Toes, Cocoa Hooves, and Exxus. Their music is very sexy in my mind. Makes
me think about the woman I love.
What was the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs in Rochester?
Chef Bogardus: Rochester is a safe place in many ways, solid year round business,
affluent economy, and people that like to eat. I plan on opening my own place here
in a few years, unless I return home to the North Fork. The North Fork is such a
special place for those who were born there.
Thank you Chef Bogardus!! We are grateful to you for sharing

Please visit Chef Stephan at:
57225 Main Road, Southold, NY 11971
(631) 765-0177
Well keep you posted on Chef Bogardus so please subscribe

and follow!

Tweet it at us now!
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meal kits?
#KnowTheChef:
George Mavrothalassitis
of Chef Mavro
(Honolulu, HI)
Chef Mavro, forgot his aloha shirt, again.
If you havent been to Honolulu, Hawaii, its like everything you think it is, multiplied by
1000; sun, surf, peacefulness, flower-scented air, amazing food and people. This is what
French Provenal Chef George Mavrothalassitis undoubtedly thought when he first
landed in Hawaii in 1988. The genial and ultra-talented Chef Mavro (both
Mavrothalassitis nom de guerre, as well as his eponymous Moiliili restaurant) has been on
sun-drenched Oahu since that time. He has been exploring, learning, building
relationships and teaching, and perhaps most importantly, generously sharing himself and
his unmatched French-Hawaiian cuisine with kamaaina and visitor alike. Chef Mavro is
truly one of the best, but dont simply take my word for it:
Wine Spectator magazine recognized Chef Mavro as one of the eleven most important
French chefs working in America along with Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Pierre
Gagnaire, Eric Ripert & Joel Robuchon. His popular restaurant is the only independently
owned Hawaii restaurant to earn the American Automobile Association (AAA) Five
Diamond status (2008-2015). Also it holds the highest food rating in Hawaii 18/20
Three Toques, Gayot, and a coveted place on their 2015 Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S.
Also the restaurant holds numerous Top 10 awards including Top 10 Restaurants in the
World based on a vote of the editors of Fodors guidebooks. Recently Chef Mavro
restaurant was tapped as the only fine dining restaurant in America to be honored by
United Fresh for innovative and influential use of fresh produce.
Now, be careful: if you do find yourself in Honolulu, and you do make the requisite stop at
Chef Mavro, then you might not ever come back to the mainland!
Who: George Mavrothalassitis, Chef

Where:
Chef Mavro
1969 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 944-4714
Chef Mavro: Arugula pure.
What is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in Honolulu?
Chef Mavro: Id say Peruvian
What is the Worst Dish You Have Ever Eaten?
Chef Mavro: It was 30 years ago, at the peak of American
nouvelle cuisine: Mahi Mahi with Raspberry collision.
Can you tell us a valuable cooking hack or shortcut?
Chef Mavro: No short cut!
If you could create a line of signature baby food, what would it
be?
Chef Mavro: It might be vegetarian, no fruit pure.
Chef Mavro: Octopus.
If you werent cheffing youd be..?

Chef Mavro: A wine maker.
Chef Mavro: Ali Bab, Gastronomie Pratique, dition 1907
(1,000 pages)
Chef Mavro: Marseille, France.
Chef Mavro: Watercress, Japanese mayo, with shoyu.
Chef Mavro: Sushi ii, in Honolulu.
Could you recommend another chef or two that you think we
could interview for the blog?
Chef Mavro: Jonathan Mizukami (Vintage Cave) Honolulu.
What is your favorite song/band or musician?
Chef Mavro: Tom Waits
What is the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs in O
ahu?
Chef Mavro: No challenge, Honolulu is a great place for
restaurants!
A big mahalo! We are grateful to you for sharing your time &
memories with us Chef Mavro!
Visit Chef Mavro at:
Chef Mavro
1969 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 944-4714
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#KnowTheChef:
Philippe Corbet
of Roots Bistro Gourmand
(West Islip, NY)
Chef Philippe Corbet, eyeballing a fresh bottle of Green Chartreuse.
Chef Philippe Corbet (ex-Bouley) is one of the most under-the-radar

culinary geniuses currently operating in New York; it's seriously almost
criminal. His endearing humility, dizzying work ethic, and his focused
passion informs some of the most beautifully satisfying dishes I have
ever had the benefit of eating. His kitchen is Roots Bistro Gourmand,
and I bet (not actual money) you haven't been there yet.
Chef Corbet and his long-time partner Chef James Orlandi take
molecular gastronomy as close as they can tastefully get it to
traditional French bistro fare, and the results are often times
transcendentally beautiful and amazing. This is Roots Bistro
Gourmand. Add to the mix one of the two best barmen on Long Island,
Mark Seaman, (the other being Pentimento's Dave Marzano) and an
awesome team, and it's like hitting the gourmand lottery.
Who: Philippe Corbet, Executive Chef

Where:
Roots Bistro Gourmand
399 New York 27A, West Islip, NY
(631) 587-2844
Philippe: Some of the worst dishes Ive made in the past were when I did not edit myself.
I am trying to remember the worst time. I think once I tried to make a Provenal style
scallop dish and I kept adding compliments. By the time I was done, the scallops were
unrecognizable with 15 or so different items. My girlfriend mentioned a quote from Coco
Chanel that says something like before you leave the house take something off. I learned
to apply that concept to my food.
What is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in New York?
Philippe: There is so much ethnic cuisine in NYC. You can find almost anything you
want, if you know where to look. In terms of high-end cuisine, different ethnic influences
tend to trend every couple of years. I think it would be cool to see chefs explore the
cuisine of North Africa & Portugal. The interesting combinations of dried fruits, nuts and
spices create a level of flavor that I love. A restaurant
that pursued a menu with that
flavor profile would be very interesting to see.
What is the worst dish you ever ate?
Philippe: The worst dish I ever ate. Hmm. I think it was in Miami- the entire
meal/experience was terrible. It was a very touristy area. First, the oysters had clearly
been open for a very long time and I could not finish them. My entre was some kind of
pizza and the dough was a horrible combination of undercooked, frozen, and a little burnt
at the same time. It was very disappointing. I usually can eat anything.
Can you share a valuable and interesting cooking hack with our readers?
Philippe: NO! Haha just kidding. Ok, the perfect soft eggs, prepared ahead of time:
Bring your water to 64 degrees Celsius or 147 degrees Fahrenheit. Use any kind of
cooking thermometer to get your temperature exact. Add your eggs in the shell for 38
minutes. Cool down in a water and ice bath. You can store in the fridge for when you need
them. Simply warm them again in water that is no more than 50 degrees Celsius or 122
degrees Fahrenheit. Crack them over whatever you are makingand it should have a
great consistency.
If you could design a line of signature baby foods, what would some examples of
them be?
Philippe: Simple as possible. Clearly, fresh organic vegetables and fruits with no
additives are the main stay. I think a line of different broths that have a lot of nutrients.
Try to incorporate as much real food as possible. Work straight with the farms.
What is your absolute favorite meal from childhood?

Philippe: My absolute favorite meal from childhood I have many great memories of
food. My father and grandfather used to cook for me often. Sunday dinner was usually a
three hour event at my fathers home. Pot au feu was often on the menu, with different
roasted meats, bone marrow, vegetables in broth, mustard, salt, and fresh country bread
on the table. There is nothing better.
If you werent cheffing, what would you be doing?
Philippe: I would be a top model! OK, well, maybe not I would be a photographer if I
was not a chef. It is a hobby of mine, and I have gotten better over the years. I love food
photography as well as landscapes. I love capturing perfect moments.
Philippe: El Celler de Can Roca. It uses a lot of modern and molecular technique mixed
with traditional methods. I think it is very interesting.
Philippe: I am originally from a town called Chambery, France. It is in the French Alps in
the county of Savoie.
Philippe: A dish I have on my menu right now has a lot of contrast. Flavors that
almost fight but instead work perfectly is something I love. The dish is composed of:
Lobster: rich, buttery, meaty
My version of Ras el Hanout: layered spice, warmth
Yuzu: pop of acid, bitterness
Carrots & Pear: sweet, homey, texture
Salmon Roe & American Caviar Beurre Blanc: tangy, salt/brine, creamy, surprise.
Mix it all together et Voila! This is a combo I love right now.
We are grateful to you for sharing your time & memories with
us Chef Corbet!
Visit Chef Philippe at:
Roots Bistro Gourmand
399 New York 27A, West Islip, NY
(631) 587-2844
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#KnowTheChef:
Taylor Knapp of Pawpaw
(Greenport, NY)
Chef Taylor Knapp, pre-Snail wrangling warm-up. No big deal.
When I approached (cornered) the seasoned beardsmanship that is

Chef Taylor Knapp, I knew that he was busy. Between feeding me
insane beef heart carpaccio at his spot First & South in Greenport,
Long Island, building Peconic Escargot (the first and only company in
the U.S. to offer fresh escargot), and maintaining the best beard on the
East End of Long Island, Chef Taylor banged out my 10 silly questions
like he was steeling his Wsthof. Chef Taylor has since left First &
South to showcase locally foraged and produced ingredients at his
own acclaimed pop-up, Pawpaw with Katelyn Luce running the front.,
Pawpaw is hosted at Bruce & Son in downtown Greenport. In all
honesty, Chef Knapp is one of the kindest and most visionary young
chefs out there today.
Keep your eyes on him!
Who: Taylor Knapp, Executive Chef & Head Snail Wrangler

Where:
PawPaw Popup
208 Main Street
Greenport, NY 11944
&
Peconic Escargot
22600 Main Road
Cutchogue, NY 11935
What is the worst dish you've ever made?
Taylor: Hmm Thats a tough one. Not that I haven't made lots of terrible dishes (I
have). I guess I try and assess what went wrong and move on quickly rather than dwell. In
culinary school I burnt the crap out of the bottom of a risotto and somehow thought it'd
be ok to serve. I figured that it'd be ok because I didn't include any of the burnt stuff.
That was the day I learned that flavors travel. Ain't no going back from burnt. Thanks
Nick, for bringing those memories back. (:D - Nick)
What is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in New York?
Taylor: I haven't seen any Martian cuisine yet.
Taylor: My girlfriend and I dined at this little bistro in Lyon, France this past winter. I
ordered a calves liver salad as an appetizer and tripe as an entree. Thought Id be
adventurous. Where else but here should this food be at its best? Just before my salad
came out you could hear the faint ding of a microwave. The dish arrived. Terrible.
Steaming piles of unseasoned grey microwaved liver. I panicked because I remembered
that I had ordered tripe as an entree. I called the server over to change my entree course
to something a little safer. He informed me that it was impossible because the dish was
already in the oven, cooking. Well that sounds good. Oven is good. Then I heard it
againDING! Sure enough, the tripe arrived - hotter than hell, sauce splattered
everywhere, drained of any integrity, rubbery and stinking of cow manure. Thats the
closest I've ever come to running out on a check.
Taylor: A nice tip for cooking vegetables in stock or water is to use the least amount
possible. Dont boil vegetables in a big ol' pot of water. Start them in a pan with just a
little splash. Cover the pan and cook gently on low heat. Add more liquid as needed. You
may add water 15 times before its done. But that water will keep reducing and
concentrating over and over again. Youll end up with a carrot (or whatever it is that
you're cooking) that tastes so freaking carroty it'll blow your mind. It'll be exciting. Big
pots of water just dilute flavors. Don't do that.
them be?
Taylor: I'm no baby expert. I suppose starting them as early as possible on less sugary
purees would be a good thing. Everything has added sugar these days. And were all
addicted to it. Maybe starting them earlier on less will help curb that addiction from a
young age.
Taylor: My mom would make these salmon cakes with whipped mashed potatoes and
peas on special nights. Man, It was good. The salmon cakes got really crispy on the
outside and the potatoes were so light and fluffy. She always (and still does I think) used
one of those hand held electric beaters. Definitely a meal I looked forward too.
If you weren't cheffing, what would you be doing?

Taylor: Well Im working hard on a snail farm right now, so I suppose that will take the
place of cheffing for a little while some day. If neither of those things, then Id be doing
magic. I spent a lot of time doing it years ago and I wish I could get back into it. The
problem is that both Magic and Cooking require complete devotion. My brain could never
keep up with both. Right now Im only thinking about food.
Taylor: I've got this Alain Passard graphic novel. Its pretty awesome. It wont help you
cook or teach you any recipes. But it provides a really intimate glimpse into his kitchen. It
s like you're standing right there with him. Watching him cook, test recipes, give orders.
The dialogue in the book was written word for word from things that he said, and then
illustrated with him in the moment he said it. Hes a genius.
Taylor: Greenwood, Indiana.
Taylor: Whooono idea. I get bored pretty quickly so Im not one to stick with flavor
combinations for long. I've been using a lot of hay lately. I've been putting it in everything.
I just can't get enough. Its so complex and foreign as a food ingredient, yet so familiar on
another level. Every time I make something with it, I pick up another nuance I hadn't
tasted in it the time before.
us Chef Knapp!
Visit Chef Taylor at:
PawPaw Popup
208 Main Street
Greenport, NY 11944
&
Peconic Escargot
22600 Main Road
Cutchogue, NY 11935
Well keep you posted on Chef Knapp so please subscribe and
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#KnowTheChef:
Doug Weiler of Willow
(Portland, OR)
The culinarily precocious Doug Weiler, Age: 17.
After incessant harassment, my friend, soccer wunderkind, & pop-up

impresario Chef Doug Weiler graciously agreed to carve up my 10
awesome questions. Doug is a laconic, honest and creative chef that
puts his heart and soul into his craft. He is constantly refining his
culinary artistry. After leaving NY for Portland, Oregon, Chef Doug
spanked the plates at Glyph Cafe, after which he and his partner, John
Pickett launched their new, highly regarded, waiterless restaurant,
Willow.
Who: Doug Weiler, Executive Chef

Where:
Willow
2005 SE 11th Ave.
Portland, OR. 97214

Doug: The worst dish I have ever made was probably a pan-seared fluke with radishes,
dressed in a pea pesto. I didn't properly emulsify the pesto, and added too much acid,
which turned it an ugly brownish color. The end product tasted okay, but looked terrible.
It's one dish I wish I could go back in time and re-cook.
What is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in Portland?
Doug: I think that the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine is Scandinavian. There is
plenty of great Thai/Chinese/Japanese/African spots in Portland but nearly nothing
representing the nordic. There is a place called Broder, as well as Stammtisch; they're
both doing some good German food, but I think Portland is ready for some cool
Scandinavian-influenced food.
Doug: This is a tough one. I've had plenty of poorly composed dishes, and many that
were poorly executed. I think the worst was probably some pizza from a place that was so
forgettable I don't remember the name. I just remember it tasted like what I would
imagine cardboard with ketchup would taste like.
Doug: If you want croutons that will not get soggy in liquid, start in cold oil. Tear your
bread, cover in cold oil, bring to a simmer, and cook until golden-brown and crispy. Take
them out of the oil and allow to cool. Once they are cold you can enjoy them in any soup
without them getting soft and undesirable.
them be?
Doug: I would design a baby food line with minimal ingredients. I would focus on pairing
fruits and root vegetables together, and sweeten with apple cider, rather than sugars or
other sweeteners. I think some examples would be: beet/strawberry/carrot,
sunchoke/pear, celeriac/squash.
Doug: My favorite meal from childhood was junk food. I was a picky eater. I was the kid
at birthday parties who wouldn't eat pizza. Everyone who knew me as a kid thinks its
funny that I am a chef because of how little I ate. Besides junk, I did really enjoy a good
grilled cheese.
Doug: If I wasn't cheffing i would be playing soccer. I had the opportunity to play in
Europe before I injured my foot. I still am passionate about the game, but equally
passionate about cooking.

Doug: My favorite obscure cookbook is World-class Swedish Cooking from
restaurant Frantzen and Lindeberg in Stockholm. It is such a great book that goes
over their philosophy behind food, and their composed plates are beautiful.
Doug: I am originally from Hauppauge, NY. I was born in Mineola, but grew up in
Hauppauge since the age of 3.
Doug: My favorite flavor combination right now is probably whey and honey. I have
been cooking a lot of things from root vegetables to onions in whey, and really liking the
results. The addition of honey seems to round out the tartness and is very pleasurable.
tasted in it the time before.
us Chef Weiler!
Visit Chef Doug at:
Willow
2005 SE 11th Ave.
Portland, OR. 97214
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#KnowTheChef:
Will Levatino
of Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co.
(Greenpoint, NY)
A giant Striped Bass and the man he caught.
An old and good friend of mine (and STELLAR chef), the

chronically handsome and laid-back Chef Will Levatino agreed to
answer some questions.
Will is a true seizer of days, and a hunter of life experience. He's
played in well-known bands, traveled the world, and is the one
who introduced me to Hare Krishna when we were teenagers.
Originally of Arancini Bros. fame, you can now find Will in the
kitchens of Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Company, located at 114
Nassau Avenue in Brooklyn.
Eat there now if you know whats good for you (literally)!
Who: Will Levatino, Chef

Where:
Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co.
114 Nassau Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11222
(718) 349-0400

Will: A stir-fry tofu dish. Used salt, tamari and soy sauce. It was saltier than the Dead
Sea.
What is most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in NYC restaurants?
Will: Filipino.
Will: A stuffed Dover sole dish at a place in Huntington, LI. The fish was so over-cooked,
it was (like) cardboard!
Will: A touch of water, and a very flimsy whisk is key to a great hollandaise.
them be?
Will: Hmm... Maybe things I liked as a young adult like my grandmothers lasagna.

Will: Ha! Well, my grandmothers lasagna!
Will: Most likely guitar teching.
Will: There is a collection of recipes in an Oyster Bay pamphlet my father had. All the
recipes are very Long Island, very dated baked clams, seafood souffl etc. They are all so
complicated and almost all contain lard. It's hilarious.
Will: Long Island.
Will: Fish sauce, lime, cilantro, mint.
us Chef Levatino!
Visit Chef Will at:
Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co.
114 Nassau Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11222
(718) 349-0400
Well keep you posted on Chef Levatino, so please subscribe

and follow!

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#KnowTheChef:
Chef Alexis Samayoa of Espita Mezcaleria
(Washington, DC)
Chef Alexis Samayoa, may be the realest guy in the business.
Chef Alexis Samayoa (ex-WD-50, Empellon & El Vez) is maybe one

of the realest culinary philosophers on the scene in New York; and
now he's got his own hot spot in DC. Here is a pragmatic man who
waxes philosophical, works his ass off and manages to maintain his
humble attitude all the while. His kitchen was Tocolo Cantina, and
he's since moved on to open his own jump-off called Espita
Mezcaleria, located in the Shaw section of Washington, DC. We
interviewed Chef and his GM Samantha at his old spot, Tocolo.
Chef Samayoa surely comes correct. He hunts and capture the flavors
of Latin American & Mexican cuisine from the cobbled boulevards
and rural outposts of Central and South America, as well as the
Caribbean, and calmly drops it right in your lap, without the soul
rending pretense and gamesmanship too often experienced in this
cut-throat industry. The results, as expected, are the genuine article.
Chef Alexis brings the heat to DC, where his Espita Mezcaleria stands
out is a sea of great restaurants, which is quite a feat.
Who: Alexis Samayoa, Executive Chef

Where:
Espita Mezcaleria
1250 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
(202) 621-9695
What is the worst dish you ever made?
Alexis: When I was about 8 years old, my brother was babysitting me. I told my
brother that I was hungry, and he told me to go get myself some food. So I went to
the refrigerator, found some cold rice, warmed it up and put some ketchup on it.
So that one we have. So, what is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in NYC,
or NY?
Alexis: Years ago, I went to this Ethiopian restaurant, I forgot the name of it?
Was it Meskerem?
Alexis: I want to say yeah I think thats probably it, but Im not sure. I think Im
going to have to say Ethiopian. But people should definitely venture out, you know
and enjoy different meals, techniques and flavors that other cuisines have to offer.
I love Ethiopian food, thats a good one.
Alexis: The worst dish I ever ate? Its going to freak you out, but when I went to
Spain its called ternuda, it wasnt the worst, but it just freaked me out, its when
the lamb is born its literally slaughtered right then and there, so
Thats a rough one! I dont really know how Id handle that.
Could you share a valuable and interesting cooking hack?

Alexis: Notepad and sharpie. I know its not necessarily a cooking hack, but those
are things that you just need while you are cooking. You just have to be able to
write everything down.I have maybe like 6 notepads back there, lists of lists,
random things, anything and everything. Thats what you need to focus.
Samantha: God forbid I pull one of them out, hes like Wheres my note pad? Im
like I just needed a piece of paper! He gets mad!
(laughing)
Alexis: Those notepads are like bibles to me!
(laughing)
Alexis: Again, I know its not necessarily a cooking hack but, its a necessity; its one
of those things thats going to get you through this dish.
Yes, and thats the start of the process I think probably for building the dish,
right? Then you can refine it as you go?
Alexis: Yeah. Because when I compose a dish in my head, its all about colors and
flavors and then once you get your idea on paper then you start try things together,
you find Oh, that doesnt work, lets start all over again, but its not necessarily a
cooking hack, like you know putting eggs in the oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes
and you have a hard boiled egg.
Absolutely, I appreciate that. Thats a great answer.
If you could design a line of signature baby food, what would an example be?
Alexis: Pureed Twinkie.
Thats awesome. That actually sounds good. (laughing)
Samantha: That would sell! (laughing)
Yeah, oh my god. That would definitely sell.
Alexis: Pureed Twinkie, you know.. I mean, Im a parent, I get it, you want to nurture
your child, you want to give them the best you can possibly give them, but unless youre
actually growing or raising the food yourself in your backyard, or pulling food out of the
ground like you just did with those ramps, theres nothing you can really do. There are
GMOs in everything.. The FDA has such a long list of acceptable things, so the word
organic to me is more of a sell its a selling point.
Samantha: Can we talk about the bees?
Alexis: Yeah, like the organic honey that certain well-known stores are selling. Youre
going to tell me a bee that flies miles and miles in a day is not going to pollinate at my
farm that has tons of you know
Exactly. How do you know its
its not a Monsanto bee?
Alexis: Yeah, you know what I mean, its going to go from this farm, to this farm and
back. As for the baby food, its hard to say, but if you have enough garden space in your
backyard you can grow some beans, and potatoes, simple vegetables, that would
probably be it. It has to be home grown, so its difficult to answer about the baby food
line. Plus, Im such a junk food eater too, because Im here all day. So when I go out, Im
like man, I want a burger. Some of the best burgers Ive had in NYC lately are coming
out of Bareburger. The one in LES.
They are getting huge now
Alexis: BareburgerYeah, Im all about like buffalo, bear, you know, those wild
meats are theyre good. When a bear comes out of hibernation, and its only been
eating for a few weeks, it tastes like berries because thats all its eaten. Its all it can
forage right now, until it gets stronger and can actually hunt. Im a total junk food
eater, but I pay the price: I go running miles on end every morning, come back
home, then come here. But its all about how you personally raise your kids; keep
your baby healthy, dont over feed it, but you cant put that all on a warning label.
At least with Pureed Twinkie you know what youre getting.
Alexis: Yeah. 100% sugar. (laughing)
So, what is your favorite meal from childhood?
Alexis: Favorite meal from childhood, hmmm. So, in Puerto Rico, when it comes to
Christmas Time, there are these Caribbean-style tamales, theyre called pasteles,
and theyre made with yucca, or plantain. Same thing, grate em out, steam them,
boil them. Even to this day I still have some in my freezer that my mom ships up
from Florida. Ive never let them go. Those are those things that are like, oh, its
Christmas Time, Ive got to have it. So that is definitely it right there. Its grated
yucca wrapped in a banana leaf, and inside of it has pork and olives, and sometimes
raisins, if moms got raisins in the cupboard
Oh maaan
Alexis:.. but its really good Its one of those things thats just like Mmmm
Christmas. Thats one of those things I always tell people when they ask When
was your best meal. I must have been 8 years old, at home. The best meals are
always at somebodys house; never at a restaurant. You go to a restaurant, you
expect something. When you go to somebodys grandmothers house your
expecting just to have a good time among friends and family, but when mama
brings out this giant dish, and everybody is scarfing it down, and youre not
stopping, those are the best meals a person could ever have, at somebody elses
mothers or grandmas house.
That makes a lot of sense. It like under promise over deliver; its in that same
family of like, expectation.
Alexis: Yeah, there are some restaurants that do like card tricks at the table, and
like Alineas got like the 30/21 item, and then they scramble it up on the table, and
youre eating off of the table, its like I get it, but at the same time I prefer having
moms rice and beans. I dont know how she makes them, but theyre just really
good.
Yeah, exactly. Theyre made with love.
Alexis: And thats the real love, because she knows my kids are coming to eat, and
I have got to make sure my kids eat well. My moms a little sick now, so she cant
really use to much salt. So shell pass me the salt, and you can see it in her face, its
not the same to her. I still take it with love and grace, and say Dont worry, ma. Its
bringing back memories, and the memories are just seasoning it for me. So in my
opinion, the best meal would come from somebodys moms house.
Im sorry to hear that. If you werent cheffing you would?
Alexis: Be in the military. I like the structure and order.
Alexis: Thats a hard one Marco Pierre White White Heat. It was handed down
to me by Wylie Dufresne, who is my mentor.. He just closed the doors at WD and is
doing what he did back at 71 Clinton, which is like low-key, but this is where its at,
this is what he wants to do. As long as hes enjoying what hes doing, thats all that
matters (NOTE: Alder has since closed).
Right. I think that ties in to what you were saying about putting the love into the
food, and kind of getting the best meals, in-house or at somebodys home, you
know?
Alexis: Yeah, you know when I think of a menu item, not just the menu in general,
but a single menu item, you know I have two Mexican girls with me in the back
pressing tortillas, and they are my references. I get it that I have a thousand
cookbooks and whatnot, but they are my legitimate, trusted references. Ill ask
them, Hey is this mole right? Is this tortilla right? Is this masa okay? Can I fix this?
You know, what should we do?, and theyre just like Go away, stupid, well fix it.
(laughing)
Alexis: Im not dogging them, I just want to educate myself from them. But, I love
these two girls, theyre not girls, theyre older women, and there is like a love-hate.
You know like Leave us alone, well fix it, but yeah, this is the way it goes. They are
my references to everything that pertains to Mexican food. I think about a dish, and
I realize there are going to be some things that need to be they way they make it at
home, and then there are going to be things that people will expect to be restaurant
quality, meaning its delicate, its composed, chef-driven, those components. I get
molecular gastronomy, I really do get it, but 3000 years ago the Mayans or the
Aztecs were not using bags and sous vide.
Yeah, exactly.
Alexis: They were cooking in fire pits and whatnot, and Ill think about those
methods. Like how can I do lamb barbacoa without digging a fire pit in the backyard.
You know wrap it up in banana leaf and avocado leaf and shove it in the oven. Pick
it up tomorrow, see how it looks.`With cooking techniques, youve got to know the
old before you get into the new.
Youre like the philosopher-chef, which I think great chefs strive for, and I think
therein lies the kernel of success, however you want to define success. Tom
Schaudel one time said something that stuck with me.
Alexis: Hes been in here a lot.
Yeah, I met him for the first time when I was managing a restaurant in Riverhead,
and he came in and we got to talking about chefs and being a chef-owner. I
remember him saying you know Being a chef, owning a restaurant, is like being a
priest. Its a labor of love. You arent getting involved because of the awesome
hours and profit margins obviously.
Alexis: Eventually, yes, there are financial rewards, you know, that you want to get
out of it, but..
but its not your primary motivation, right? So, I think that what you said about
home-cooked food and love, kind of resonates with that
Alexis: Sort of going back to the cooking hacks thing, when I was coming out of
culinary school, we were told, you know, dont ever be a hack. Dont ever cut
corners, you know, this is the way it is done, even if its going to take hours doing it
like this, do it this way because this gives the best quality outcome. I try to keep to
the rules that I was taught and learned from reading. I came from El Vez to here
with one guy who stuck with me, who is now my sous chef, and this is what I know
right now, Latin American cuisine. Do I still remember French ? Yes, but Im so
heavily into Latin American cooking right now, I mean I really love it, because there
are just so many ingredients that havent been explored in either restaurants or
even cookbooks. Why not take advantage it, you know, have this knowledge and
then when you open up another restaurant or put another menu item on, you are
the first one to do it. Nobody can ever really judge you, because its like Oh my god,
what is this? Take papalo; tastes like popcorn and in Mexico they use it a lot, but in
a lot of Mexican restaurants you wont find it. It dies really fast, and once you pick it
you probably have like a two day shelf life on it. It dies really fast, but its got great
flavor to it. Now, if you eat to much of it youll get the hiccups and burp a lot, but its
so good. But those are the things where its like Ive got this ingredient, now what
am I going to do with it? You know, What is the anchor to Mexican food, what is
our technique, now can we use it so that people are going to come in and embrace
it? You have got to think about things like that, and I guess to do it right, I just think
about eating. Thats the most important thing, eat, eat, make sure it tastes good. To
me, thats all that matters. I prefer taste over look. I know it sounds weird, but I
prefer something that looks like vomit, but tastes like heaven, over something that
looks like, you know, a beautiful and gorgeous newborn baby, and when you taste
it, its really pretty bad Like fondant cakes
Yes, thats a great example. Fondant is gross!
Alexis: They make gorgeous, beautiful cakes, but no flavor. You know?
I think that goes back to going out to eat, and expecting something. So you expect
something, because its being sold before it has a chance to present itself to you
on its own merit. Its being sold as something, its being prepackaged.
Alexis: Yup.
So you have these preconceived notions going in, and most of the time, youll end
up disappointed with the full package, to some degree.
Alexis: Right. The whole show. You go into see a Broadway show, and say Will
Smith is the starring actor, and you show up, and he just talks for 5 minutes, and
thats it. It like I just spent 200 bucks on these tickets, and I just get to see him for 5
minutes, he said one funny line and walked away? (laughing)
And people talk about getting back to roots, but I think what youre talking about
is hopefully something that actually ends up happening in a real way. Youre
seeing it in Brooklyn right now, almost like post-hipsterdom. I truly hope people
get back to exploring their roots.
Alexis: I say it a lot, you know, there are a lot of boutique restaurants and farm-totable restaurants, and I get it, but everybody is still forgetting what they are really
doing. For instance, a lot of kids are coming out of culinary school, and they are like
I want to be the star! Im like Dude, Ive been in this for 17-18 years already, you
have to read, you have to practice..
It doesnt just happen
Alexis: Right. Its like a General doesnt just happen after coming out of basic
training. Maybe they have these brand new knives that mom and dad probably
spent 400-500 bucks on, its like Alright, now put them to use! Dont just clean it
everyday, use it. You paid for the whole knife, use the whole knife. You want to
learn how to break down this fish, then Ill teach you how to break down this fish,
but youve got to use that knife, not worrying about how expensive it it was.
...Dont be scared, this is what they are for...
Alexis: There are these kids coming out of culinary school, and they are like Im
Escoffier. I can do it all. Its like listen man, I know a bunch of guys that are at these
hugely busy restaurants that would cook you under the table on any given day and
youll never hear about them on TV or in a cookbook. They just dont care about
things like that. Some guys have been very fortunate, and the fame has come to the
restaurant and theyve been able to express themselves. At the same time, there
are other guys out there that just dont are, like This is the meal that I want to do,
and I dont care what anybody else tells me.
That takes cojones. To me, thats really an appealing personality trait in a lot of
ways. Not for the bravado that maybe seems more apparent to the casual
observer, but from where it comes, the philosophical aspect of it. I believe its
common to all people that have true, deep meaningful success, independent of
whatever the monetary outcome may be. Its uncommon, its few and far
between.
Alexis: Its tough, because a lot of people expect you to be like the giant chain down
the block, because thats their interpretation of Mexican food.
So you have a task to draw them in, to ingratiate, to educate, and then to retain
them, which boils down to consistency. You said you would be in the military if
you werent cheffing, so it seems like consistency is really important to you.
Consistency is one of the measures of a dynamite restaurant, in my opinion.
Alexis: Im not one to speak about social media, even though I like the funny and
stupid memes or whatever. I also see guys promoting themselves, and doing what
they have to do for themselves, and dont see them doing it as much for their
restaurants. Its ok, I get it, you guys are celebrities, but what about your
restaurants? You know?
They are putting the cart before the horse, and ego gets caught up in that. Like
the Escoffiers coming out of school, you know, they can round, they can wear
all hats in the kitchen
Alexis: You know, Wylie hated to go on TV, because he started his name with out it.
It was just after that, when The Cooking Channel came out, the Food Network
came out. I remember being there in the kitchen with him and he said Alright guys,
lets set this up Weve got to do a show It wasnt his thing. Lets try to get this
done in the next half hour, because weve got service. That was more important to
him, the service. As soon as he was done with filming, youd see him running to
kitchen like Alright guys, lets start service! It was great,
Alexis: It was the best time of my life, working in the back there at WD. I learned so
much from Wylie. Especially considering the all-star team that was birthed out of
there; so many great chefs came out of his kitchen. When I left a few years later, I
hooked up with Stupak to open up Empellon, but thats where we first met, at WD.
There are so many other relationships that I have from there, so many other great
cooks. He was trying to bring something out of all of us; theres a time and place to
get yelled at, but more of the time you can focus on getting the job done, and
getting the job done right. Build morale and know-how. If I tell you to cut 5 pounds
of this carrot this big, and all we are going to do is cook it down, and then throw it
out, then thats what you are going to do. It might take you an hour to do it, but like
thats the way it has to be.
Building real chefs, with real skills, over time. Like there is no cutting of corners.
You develop the skills that other people cant just hack their way to, and thats
one of the big differences.
Alexis: and I get it that you want to be efficient, like I have a tomato cutter in the
back, and its because I blow through so many tomatoes. I cant have one employee
cutting 30-40 pounds of tomatoes a day, thats going to take up all of their time. So
Im like Alright, Im going to help you out, give you this, but dont get carried away
using this. I want him to be more efficient in what hes doing, and I know hes doing
a good job, but maybe this might help him out a bit more. It hurt me so much to just
bring that piece of equipment into the restaurant, but I had to because, again it
makes us more efficient.
To me, thats totally acceptable. It seems like when you are passionate and
operating from the heart, making a business out of your passion gives you a shot
at longevity. You know, giving you a chance at having the success that will keep
you going, enabling you to continue to experiment and grow. There is that
balance, so you feeling that pain is like a necessary counterbalance, you know,
life is bittersweet as they say. It shows that you are on the right track, its human,
you know, youre in touch, grounded.
Alexis: I have nine guys back there right now that are still here from day one. They
know that Im grumpy as hell, they know it.` They know that if I walk by and I see
something wrong, they know that theyre going to get bit, but at the same time they
dont do it, they know what they are doing, they are good. I could, you know, take a
week off, and theyll all be fine. They are always bitching at each other, keeping
each other in line. They know when something is not right. They know that the old
man is going to come in and start bitching at all of them.
Thats how I raise my kids, not that these guys are kids butSelf-discipline comes
from being taught discipline. Unfortunately, its often overlooked in this day and
age, and I think that maybe people misconstrue what its application is; like maybe
its crass or unloving, but I think its more of a realistic, tough-love thing. In other
words, you care so much about where they are going to be at the end of the day,
when you are not there to lend a hand...and its really about just getting the skills
not just
Alexis: come in, you know waste my own time and energy, then get off.
Right. Like learning on a basic, fundamental level.
Alexis: Ive never worked at a restaurant where Ive had to provide knives, came to
Long Island and I have to provide knives. I said Im not going to play this. Save up
20-30 dollars a week, and go buy yourselves some knives. Thats the way they all
did it. They put their coins and dollars together and they all got their own knives.
I know my knives, I know which knives I like, which knives I dont like, I know how
they cut, and you know, I cant just walk into someone elses kitchen and use their
knife
N: You dont like my Wsthof. You like your Global.
K: I hate the Wsthof. I like my Global. It fits my hand beautifully, and it gives me a
good cut.
Alexis: You love the Global because the handle is smaller, and it is lighter.
Yeah. Its definitely lighter. Its the weight of the Wsthof that I dont like.
I like the weight.
Alexis: A German steel is very masculine and heavy; you can cut right through
carrots without a problem.
It is, and when I do have something thats tougher Ill sometimes have to break
out the Wsthof.
Alexis: You know for the first two months, I granted my knives to everybody; price
range goes up and down, but whatever you buy, just make sure you use them.
Then they are investing in themselves too, and theyll take themselves more
seriously.
Youll end up taking more pride in yourself and your work, I think.
Alexis: From what Ive read, in past traditions, when say the sous chef was
promoted into chef, or the line cook was promoted, there was a knife handed over.
That would be something that you earned that you could carry with you. Thats
seems to be pretty much out the window 200 years later. Nowadays you think
about it, like what are you handing over to this person other than an increase in
salary? Whats driving that cook? Is it the monetary aspect, like a donkey with a
carrot in front of you, is that what it is? Or is it that you just want to look perfect,
you want to be that perfect person, the one who comes to work and knows what
you are talking about and nobody can tell you No, they can only tell you yes.
I love your philosophy, man. It really resonates with me. Why waste your time?
Time is fleeting, at least in this reality, why waste it? You know, `whether you are
washing dishes or tying shoes for a living, do it the best that you can. Otherwise,
you are not doing what you should be doing. Ok, so where are you originally
from?
Alexis: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Alexis: Favorite flavor combination Hmm
(to Samantha): Whats yours?
Samantha: His tlayuda, which I am now forbidden to eat. (laughing)But its amazing;
its all about the balance of the different flavors of everything that he puts into the
dish.
Alexis: So, I dont know theres a lot. I usually dont pair two flavors together. Like
the Tlayuda, theres 7 or 8 different items on that one little cracker
Samantha: Its ridiculously delicious.

Alexis: Obviously corn, but even corn can have different flavors; it can be nutty, it
can be sweet, it can be buttery. I cant really give you something like say, Milk and
Honey, I like this whole flavor profile put together here
Go for it! If you want to rattle one off, absolutely!
Alexis: I would probably have to say my quesadilla. The blue corn, the Oaxaca cheese,
salsa pasilla, rajas de poblano chiles and onions When you look at it, its so simple,
but then when you taste itit isnt the quesadilla you can buy at the corner store. It
s almost the quesadilla you probably have in Oaxaca, from the lady with the push
cart with the little steel plate thats ripping hot, and shes folding it right there,
flipping it, cooking it, and giving it to you. The crunchiness on the outside isnt too
much, its so thin, and it has such a squishy center. The flavors I just really like; the
cream of the cheese and the spice and everything you get out of it, its mellow, its a
nice balance. Its just right. It pisses me off when people ask for chicken inside of it,
but I dont think Im going to win that battle. (laughing)
Last question, what is the best meal youve had while dining out, in recent
memory?
Alexis: Its not recent, but there is this one dish thats always stayed with me my
whole life, and its this one dish from WD-50. It was a pastrami duck.
That sounds awesome. Could you describe it?
Alexis: So it was duck breast pastrami, and we would sous-vide, then sear it, and let
it cool down to where it was firm again. Then we would slice it thin, like pastrami,
and then roll it with a rye cracker. It had purple mustard in it, with celery buds. We
would make our own mustard. Reduced our red wine with shallots, get our mustard
seeds, ferment them.It was a tough process just to get that one little dish together.
All that you would get out of a mound of product, youd get maybe half a pint of
purple mustard. Youd make sure that lasted. Definitely the most memorable dish
for me, and in my opinion, nobody should ever revive or reincarnate it; nobody
should ever put it on there menu. Its one of those dishes that should just go down
with the ship. The memory: WD-50, three little slices duck pastrami.
Thats the Titanics bell. Just leave it down there.
Alexis: Just leave it down there, once somebody starts recreating it, no, no , no, no,
no, no you cant. Those flavors have stayed with me forever. It was just so good.
We are grateful for you sharing your time & memories with us
Chef Alexis!
Visit Chef Samayoa at:
Espita Mezcaleria
1250 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
(202) 621-9695
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meal kits?
#KnowTheChef:
Macks Collins & Bryan Kidwell
of Rouge et Blanc
(Soho, NY)
Chef Macks & Chef Bryan marrying Southern & Vietnamese

cusines, with a French twist.
You would never expect a quiet restaurant smack dab in the middle of Macdougal
Street to be cranking out such loud and incredible food, but then youve arrived at
Rouge et Blanc. Putting a new spin on the word fusion, Southern dynamic-duo
Macks Collins & Bryan Kidwell are kicking you in the pants (and throat) with spicy
Southern / Asian combinations youve only dreamed about. Tradition is a thing of
the past for this pair, making sure they only incorporate their favorite and best
possible flavors into these deliciously creative plates. As Thomas Keller would say
(as would Macks Collins, for that matter) these are truly personality-based dishes.
When you sit down at their tables and order the slow roasted carrots with chipotle
maple glaze, goat cheese feta, and dill or the scallion rice crepe, with crispy duck,
pork, and hoisin vinaigrette, you know youve walked into a food travelers dream.
Food culture was established due to the fact that some ingredients were more
abundant in certain areas based on local crops, climate, and season. In todays
society and in New York City these ingredients are available at the snap of your
fingers. Collins & Kidwell take full advantage of this and bring you their favorite
combinations almost any night of the week. Have I stumbled upon the next Thomas
Keller or Francis Mallmann? Who knows. All I would suggest is get in there soon
and have the food experience youve been waiting for. Before you know it, youll be
watching them on the next season of Chefs Table, and it will take 4 months to
make a reservation!
Who: Macks Collins, Executive Chef

Bryan Kidwell, Sous Chef
Where:
Rouge et Blanc
48 Macdougal St., New York, NY, 10012
(212) 260-5757

Macks: Ive always been obsessed with food, even when I was little. I was always
cooking in the kitchen with mom. I knew pretty early actually, probably like 9 or
10, that I wanted to be a chef. And then throughout highschool I was always the kid
at the party who would make omelettes for all the drunk kids. After high school, I
went to the CIA, bounced around a little bit, and then about 4 years ago when I was
working at a country club, I started exploring Manhattan and found Rouge. They
had only be open for about 6 months at the time, we moved in here and about a
year in, the head chef left and Bryan and I moved on up.
So do you have a background in Vietnamese food?
Macks: Well, we call this a cross between Southern food and Vietnamese food.
Bryan and I are both from the south so we get a lot of Southern, low country,
influence mixed into the food. Were obsessed with explosive flavors. The food
here is very flavorful and spicy we actually run into some issues with people who
dont like spicy food because the food can be too spicy. We love vinegar and chiles,
anything Southeast Asian, Mexican, really any cuisine with seriously explosive
flavors. We have a Chinese dish on the menu, a Japanese dish actually Bryan is a
Okinawan!
So do you have a background in Okinawan food?
Bryan: Not really
(Its just in his blood!)
So this is an all-around fusion restaurant then?

Macks: Well in most modern kitchens you have either Japanese cooking
techniques or French cooking techniques. We use traditional French cooking
techniques with ingredients from around the world. We have so much respect for
people who really like to stick to tradition and never break the rules, but we like to
dip our toes into every kind of cuisine.
What was the worst dish youve ever made?
Bryan: At home when I was messing around with food, I took a bunch of
Hamburger Helper and just cooked the sh*t out of the noodles. I made like 10
boxes of it, just a huge bowl of overcooked Hamburger Helper. And of course
nobody ate it, so when I put it in the refrigerator it made just one big block of soggy
noodles. I made enough to feed a city, but none of my family ate it.
Macks: I dont think Ive ever made anything really gross? We had this one dish that
we tried to run for a while, it was a rice noodle and crab dish. It sounded good when
you told people about it, but the rice noodles didnt turn out nice and it just fell flat.
The texture wasnt very nice.
How long have you guys been working at Rouge together?
Macks: Like 3 years?
Bryan: 4.
So you guys have a really great work relationship then?
Macks: Oh yeah, we see each other more than anybody else. We know when to say
something and when to just shut up. Creativity is really where we shine, theres no
ego involved so its very easy to play tennis with each other with an idea, bounce it
back and forth and once we get rolling, it just snowballs and we come up with tons
of ideas. We both love sports, so were able operate in a sport team-like
atmosphere. Some chefs like to run it as though everyone else is there to serve
them, but were more democratic about it.
Bryan: Yeah, Ive been in kitchens where the chefs are really competitive towards
each other and it just doesnt turn out well.
Macks: You can feel when theres love in the food or tension in the kitchen. The
best chefs are the ones that can stay really true to themselves and just put that on
the plate. As Thomas Keller would say a personality-based dish. Hes like one of
our heroes, especially going to the CIA hes like one of the prophets of food. You get
that ingrained into your brain, Thomas Keller is God.
What do you believe is the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in the area?
Macks: Maybe Nordic food? You dont really see a lot of Norwegian restaurants in
SoHo, there are some around the city, but not really in this area.
What is the worst dish youve ever eaten?

Macks: Well, usually when I go to a nice restaurant I just want everything to be
more acidic and spicier, but I cant really think of the worst dish Ive ever eaten. I
mean, I was in China and I wanted to eat dog while I was there. So we had these
locals showing us around and I had this dog stew in Beijing that wasnt very tasty. It
tasted kinda like dirt, the meat was just gross. It may have been my mind playing
tricks on me because Im a dog person, but I figured when am I ever going to get this
chance again?
Bryan: That Hamburger Helper thing probably
Macks: Yeah! Overcooked pasta. Like at those touristy restaurants in Little Italy on
Mulberry Street.
Bryan: Pizza is my favorite thing, ever, so when people mess up pizza it makes me
very upset.
(I feel you, Bryan!)
Whats a valuable cooking hack or shortcut that you could share with an aspiring
home chef?
Macks: We use fish sauce for everything and that adds a ton of depth of flavor to
dishes, like instead of salt. Finding substitutes for salt like anchovies or anything
cured. It adds a whole new depth of flavor to a dish. And of course, seasoning with
salt as youre going and before you serve.
Bryan: Or even just having some citrus around, youd be amazed how much a
squeeze of lemon can brighten up a steak. Plus you create a little sauce with the
steak fluids.
Macks: Yeah or vinegar. Citrus can be a third layer of seasoning, not as much as salt
and pepper, but it can really increase the likability of a dish.
Macks: Thats probably the thing we get most upset about in restaurants is just
that if there was a little bit more acid it would take the dish to another level.
Macks: Something thats locally grown and organic vegetables. I guess you kinda
have to obliterate them, right? Like boil em up and buzz em.
Bryan: Maybe get all the vegetables from Dan Barber?
Macks: Yeah hes got cool food science things going on up there that we could
throw in. Or we could go the super expensive route and just do all foraged, wild
vegetables. Everybody loves foraged stuff!
Bryan: Yeah, well use Ren Redzepis forager.

Bryan: My moms Reubens. My mom doesnt like thousand island dressing or
Russian dressing, so she would douse them in yellow mustard; Macks and I are
obsessed with yellow mustard. Just straight Frenchs. Macks doesnt like Reubens,
but I grew up loving them.
Macks: Yeah, I dont like pastrami or corned beef. I can tell you my least favorite
childhood meal! Corned beef and cabbage.
Bryan: I love cabbage.
Macks: This is like typical Irish, you know Well, my mom would just get the
corned beef, boil it, boil it, boil it and then throw the cabbage in there, so the
cabbage was like super overcooked and then the whole house would just smell like
overcooked cabbage. So anything corned beef now, I can deal with it if its done in a
nice way, but Ill always have that memory.
Bryan: That was like one of my FAVORITE meals, corned beef and cabbage. I would
just douse it with malt vinegar.
Macks: Well you gotta do something to it, because its just so nasty! But my
favorite meal would probably be barbecue with all the fixins. Like mac and cheese,
baked beans, cole slaw, thats definitely up there.
If you werent a chef what would you be?
Macks: Probably something science based, maybe biology? Thats the reason I
became a chef is because I was always fascinated with the science behind cooking,
the chemistry of it. Maybe even a marine biologist.
Bryan: Probably an astrophysicist or astronaut.
Macks: Hes obsessed with space Well I guess were both kind of obsessed with
space. Anything thats at the forefront of science, something that makes your head
hurt, we love to read about it. Thats what we talk about a lot in the kitchen when
were not talking about food. Were huge fans of Cosmos, Neil deGrasse Tyson,
Carl Sagan. Anyone whos super poetic about the sciences, we love putting them on
in the kitchen.

Macks: The one for our generation, that was the most influential not really
obscure but I feel like I have to mention it is White Heat, Marco Pierre Whites big
cookbook. For our generation he was one of the original bad-ass chefs, he looks like
a rockstar with his long hair and smoking cigarettes all the time in the kitchen, but
hes a 3-Michelin star level chef. He was like Gordon Ramsays master, basically
where Gordon got a lot of his sorting people out and lighting people up. Hes a
legend. White Heat was what made me as a young kid go Wow, I wanna be a chef!
I really liked The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook. I dont see a ton of people
with that, but Im sure its pretty common.
Bryan: I like Edward Lee, Smoke & Pickles. He was born and raised in Brooklyn and
now he lives in Kentucky, just kinda using everything he learned in Brooklyn and
bringing it down to Kentucky and doing Southern food, smoking things. Hes
Korean too, so its kind of a like Southern/Asian influence. Hes just super laid back.
If you see him talk he just the coolest guy. And I love Sean Brock, Sean Brocks
cookbooks are awesome. McCradys and Husk, both very Southern.
Macks: Francis Mallmann!
(Yes, me too. And I dont hesitate to hold my excitement.)
Macks: Were obsessed with him too. I just always have this image of him with
these massive tree sized logs all lit on fire and hes wearing a poncho and a cowboy
hat, just hanging out.
Bryan: Id love to just talk to him about life.
Where are you guys originally from?

Macks: South Carolina. But I steadily moved North as I got older. So North Carolina
after that, then just outside of Baltimore, then the Princeton, New Jersey area. I
lived there in high school and went to The CIA in Hyde Park. So just slowly creeping
up the coast.
Bryan: I was born and raised in Reston, Virginia just 20 minutes southwest of
Washington DC. Like the suburbs of DC. Macks dad is from Myrtle Beach and my
grandmother lived in Myrtle Beach too.
Bryan: So we found this Indian pickle. Its this canned pickle, like red chili stuffed
with spices and then fermented in oil in the can. Its like the most in your face
combo of flavor.
Macks: Thats like another thing we use as like a salt substitute. We make an aioli
out of it. Its basically like a salt paste.
Bryan: Smoke and barbecue sauce maybe?
Macks: We have this carrot dish that we have, is probably one of my favorite dishes
that we do. Its the dill and jalapeno and sunflower seeds and goat cheese. They all
together make kind of one taste. I love the way dill can go with so many things. You
think its like just a Nordic herb and it only goes with like cucumbers, but it has such
a strong flavor background and it can really balance bold flavors.
Bryan: Oh what about chipotle, cinnamon and cumin?
Macks: Thats actually on that dish as well, we do like a maple chipotle glaze. Like a
molasses glaze kind of. This is the slow roasted carrots dish. Theyre smoked and
confit and seared, then covered with the glaze
Macks: I like to eat Asian comfort food. Maybe a Chinese hot pot or Szechuan hot
pot. I dont really eat at fancy restaurants so thats usually kinda my go to when I
eat out. When I was younger I would always try to go to Michelin Star restaurants
when I had a chance. Probably the best meal Ive had of all time was at Pierre
Gagnaire out in Paris, as far as the typical fine dining meal.
Bryan: McCradys, down in Charleston. Its amazing. Its everything I like in food,
bright and acidic and textures and smoke. Real Southern cooking done right.
What is your favorite song/band/music and why?
Bryan: I go through phases.
Macks: I think overall for me, the Talking Heads. I just kinda grew up listening to
them and since I was very young my dad was playing them for me so I just associate
their vibe and quirkiness with my childhood. And theyve always got something
political or important to say. Yeah, Id probably go with that. Life during wartime by
the Talking Heads, for sure. But you know The Clash and Led Zeppelin, we listen to
everything in the kitchen. Everything but heavy metal.
Bryan: Probably One of These Nights by The Eagles. I just grew up listening to that
song because of my mom, so its a good memory.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing new restaurateurs in the
area?
Macks: I think over-saturation of restaurants. Theres just so many restaurants of
all different cuisines, theres a lot of competition. Unless you can like survive those
first 5 years of being a new restaurant in New York City. Unless youre one of the
big restaurant groups who has a team that can just go in and open efficiently, its
really hard. Everyone is trying to take advantage of you, the fire department, the
health department. Theyre all just looking to make cash and take advantage of you.
Its arguably one of the most difficult places in the world to open a restaurant.
Highest rents, most competition, its just difficult to get a restaurant started in New
York City.
Bryan: Yeah, and finding the right people in the restaurant. Finding people you can
trust and keeping them. The turnover rate is just crazy.
Macks: Yeah, the front of house especially, the back of house too, but front of
house usually is only around as a temporary position, they havent declared it their
career.
Thank you Macks & Bryan!! We are grateful to you for sharing
Please visit Chefs Collins & Kidwell at:
Rouge et Blanc
48 Macdougal St., New York, NY, 10012
(212) 260-5757
Well keep you posted on Collins & Kidwell, so please

subscribe and follow!

Tweet it at us now!
Want Rouge et Blancs dishes delivered to you as easy-to-cook

meal kits?
#KnowTheChef:
Chef Jemiko Solo of Senza Gluten
(Greenwich Village, NY)
Chef Jemiko looking fresh @ Senza Gluten NYC.
The ageless and humble Chef Jemiko Solo, and his partner Teona
Khaindrava are the type of restaurateurs that truly operate from the
heart. Chef Jemiko works non-stop for his guests; he delivers as
much value to as many people as he can, as often as he can, a
daunting task considering that his Italian kitchen, Senza Gluten
(Greenwich Village) strictly caters to those who avoid gluten.
Together, with help from Erin Smith, and the rest of their crew, they
deliver consistently delicious 100% gluten-free Italian food, with the
warmth and caring that is typical of close friends or family, but all too
rare in a restaurant setting.
Gluten-free or not, if you are in the West Village and have a
hankering for some Italian, definitely check out Senza Gluten, a
deliciously healthy neighborhood gem.
Make sure you cap your meal off with their amazing Tiramisu!
Who: Jemiko Solo, Chef

Where:
Senza Gluten
206 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-7775
Jemiko: I love the question. It was probably when I first started cooking, and I
tried to make something. I was around 14 and just starting to cook. My father was a
chef for more than 30 years. Whenever he was working at home cooking
something, I was watching. I always wanted to do things like him. I would cut my
fingers, and he knew it. Everytime he would go out, he would take the knives, put
them somewhere so I couldnt reach. I swear he knew. And I was watching the way
he was marinating, like the Georgian mtsvadi . I love that. He was doing that
outside. Every time I would try to do it the same way that he was doing it. I went to
my mother and I had tried to make something, and of course they told me that it
was very good, but then when I tried, it wasnt really edible.. I was a kid; I dont
know I mixed everything. I mean I was 13-14. I was trying to copy my father.
You did what you thought he was doing.
Jemiko: Exactly. Exactly. That was the beginning. Everyday I saw that he was
coming back very tired. Everyday. Also the good thing was, even though he was so
tired every evening, he still had to cook at home. He had the time. I dont have the
time to do that. But he had the time for that. Now, Im not a big eater, but I loved to
watch him, the way he would cook and sharpen the knives; thats what I loved to do.
He was doing an amazing job slicing things by hand with a knife, because we didnt
have a slicer. That was kind of like my beginning, I liked to watch and follow him..
He loved it. Every day he was doing different things. I mean, every day. He knew
what I wouldnt eat, again Im not a big eater, but some of my favorite foods are
from him. And he knew that every time he could make it the way I liked it. Different
things, but that way so that when I was cooking, I was eating. And in that way he
was playing with me, that way I was eating.
Thats awesome.
What do you think the most underrepresented ethnic cuisine in NYC is?
Jemiko: We have all kinds of cuisines, but I would definitely say gluten-free
restaurants. The population with Celiac disease, intolerances and other allergies
are just growing and growing. Thats my dream. I really want to open 3 more. But
thank God that its different now. 4 or 5 years ago when you would go out, you
could barely find one pasta dish.
That was very rare.
Jemiko: Now thank God when you go to the supermarket there are lines of gluten
free, egg free, lactose free and Im happy because many people really needed that.
That was the main reason that I decided to do 100% gluten-free. It all comes from
my friends. I have many friends that are gluten-intolerant. When we would go out, I
always had a problem eating with them because I was always seeing that they
would sit like that (head slouched on arm staring at food) and looking at you and I
couldnt eat. I promised them, I said, Guys one day Ill do something for you and I
did it. So whenever they come now here they are fine. They dont have to worry
about the food, they dont have to waste 20 minutes with the waiter, looking at the
ingredients, asking where it comes from. Wow!
Yeah, they can just enjoy the food. Its by design. Thats great.
Jemiko: Thats what gives me more to do, and more to think about. The specials,
right? You know we have a regular menu, but most of the specials come from the
customers. Everytime I go outside and ask, Guys, what are we really missing?, and
theyll say, Oh, I havent had this dish in 6 years. So then I tell them that the next
time they come in I will make it for them. I have them email me, and they come and
have the dish, and go crazy. I mean thats really cool. It gives me more life. It makes
me want to give more, and more, and more.
Youre solving a problem and its such a great area to focus on, food. There is such a
connection. There is such a basic human need to be satisfied.
Jemiko: Exactly. We have customers here coming, like parmigiana di melanzane
(eggplant parmesan) is a regular Italian dish, but you dont really find gluten free
breadcrumbs in regular restaurants. They love it. There telling me, You know Chef, for
10 years I havent eaten lasagna, 6 years I havent had tiramisu, and this and that.
Thats all our regular menu, but there are some things that are Italian, like chicken
parmesan, or veal milanese and all these breadcrumb, bready stuff, so Im doing that
and Im emailing with them. And we are putting these things on the menu, everything
that they ask for. When they come here they are hugging us and saying, thank you so
much, God Bless you, Bless you Imagine! Ive worked in so many restaurants, but I
have never had that kind of (thankful) business. Now of course they would say to
compliment the chef. But one day, in the beginning, they requested, Can you please
come out? I was scared and would be like, Oh, we did something wrong., but then
they would give me hugs and kisses and say, God Bless you, and it was one day, then
two days, three days. Well, we had complaints too, but what I mean, in general. Trust
me, Ive never had that. It allows me to create more things, to do something Ive never
done. Whatever it takes for me to do it, Ill do it.
Thats huge. As a business person, to me, I think thats the key. You really have to be
satisfying a deep desire or helping somebody overcome a challenge in a creative way.
And in your case you can do it in such a way that you can show that you care about
them and they are appreciative of that. You cant do it without the compliments, I
mean you can, but like you said, it makes you push forward, it makes you want to
create more.
Jemiko: All week, I never stop working.. Thats just how it is.Sometimes Im still
downstairs. I have my couch because we have such a tiny kitchen that in the daytime
we cant really do anything. And when everybody leaves, thats the time when I get to
create something new or when its the dough thing, you need a table. I dont even have a
preparation kitchen in the basement. Usually everybody has it, but I dont. That is the
only kitchen (gesturing to the kitchen). This and that part, right there and that is it.
Wow, that is tiny.
Jemiko: Thats why I want to do something like get some kind of factory or bakery
to do my own everything. All mine. Like my bread and pizza crust and even pastas
and raviolis, everything. Gnocchi.
Thats a great idea.
Jemiko: Yeah, Id been wanting to open all gluten-free and I opened. Now, that all
came from my friends, and from there I would be asking questions. Then I went
through all the training, licensing and certificates. I wanted to go deeper and
deeper into what gluten-free really is. Okay, no flour, but thats not the only thing
for gluten free. There are so many other things that you have to be careful of. So I
took my tests and my certifications and after I realized I had enough, that there was
nothing more, now I can open. So then I started thinking because we are not only
gluten free, we have lactose free, egg free, dairy free and shellfish and there are so
many other allergies. Everyday Im getting some new allergy that I had never even
heard of before and Im learning. And when it comes to MSG, we dont really use
MSG products, but it could be. When it comes to MSG, we always ask our
customers to email us in advance so that I have time to prepare their dish. We had a
few of those and we made them happy., which is something that makes me happy,
really happy.
Jemiko: Thats a good question. You know, every time I do something, I find there
are always a new ways. Even say like garlic, there is always something new you can
do with the knife. You can mash within seconds without using the garlic press. Chop
it and put a little salt on in, and push it a few times and it is done. Its better to see in
action.
Jemiko: Actually, we are working on a better kids menu now, because we have so
many requests. I mentioned that I dont have the space to make my own, even
though I am a pastry chef, I had graduated from NYC as a pastry baker and thats
why it kills me that I buy some products that I could make, but I dont have the
space. But there are so many beautiful bakers, like Jennifer Esposito of Jennifers
Way Bakery. She came up with the idea of the hamburger buns that are gluten-free.
Shes gluten free, dairy free, egg free. I mean shes phenomenal. I love her products.
Jemiko: Thats what Im going to get here now and we might make like mini
hamburgers or chicken tenders but Im concentrating on gluten free. Imagine when
a cook comes with a chicken fingers and breadcrumbs, but its gluten free, its not
gluten bread. Or like little sandwiches or stuff like that. Im trying to do something
mini, because its not only to have kids food, but also to be fun a little bit. Some
normal food, but tiny pieces and to keep the diet safe and everything. Not really
going to be easy, easy like other regular restaurants can do a menu for kids,
because usually when they have a gluten intolerance, they also have something
else. Thats why Im trying to get quality products whenever Im not making them
myself.
Jemiko: Chocolate. Since I was a child there is no day or even one hour that if I don
t have one tiny piece of chocolate I cant do anything. In the kitchen I always have
little pieces that I can eat, or in the car or everywhere, in my apartment.
What was the best chocolate from Georgia?
Jemiko: Well, thats the thing, In Georgia, we had many different chocolates.. But it
became my favorite was when I started working at the hotel. That was the story I
was telling you, actually with my father. So I was 13-14 and I was almost turning 14
when he passed away. He was a chef as I mentioned and something happened in his
kitchen with the refrigerator. He touched the fridge and electric shock killed him.
That just left my mother and me only. At the time, across the street from my house
they were building the Marco Polo Hotel of Vienna. Austrian people. They built a
beautiful hotel and that was the time that you know at 14 years old, you are a kid,
you are running around in the streets . So, my mother ttold me it was time to get a
job. That was the first job I had, with the Austrian people at the Marco Polo Hotel.
And thats where I tasted chocolate for the first time and it became my favorite.
They had a box with like 25 different kinds. So thats a little story about chocolate
and the first steps I took working in a kitchen. I worked there for 7 years. That was
the biggest experience I had. You know, in this hotel I had chefs coming from all
over the world, and everyone had different techniques and I was writing
everything down. Trying to do everything like them. Especially since every other
chef I know, they started as dishwashers and then moved thier way up. I was a kid,
they gave me the hat and it was taller than me. Seriously. True story. Unfortunately
I cannot find the picture, I was looking for it the other day, my mother might have it
over in Georgia, me with my chefs hat and with my pocket that was so thick with
papers and a few pens. It was the funniest thing. Thats where I feel in love with it.
Youve refined your craft.

Jemiko: I worked there and was happy there, After that, I had moved to a Georgian
restaurant to work under a different chef, and then again to another restaurant.
Then I was head of management of a Georgian place. And even though I worked so
many things when I came to this country with so many years of experience, when I
first started at my first restaurant here I was lost. This was a different region so
there were so many completely different ingredients that I had known of, but it was
a next step for me and I started almost everything over. And built it again.
There is a lot of seasoned business acumen or advise infused in what you are
saying. Im picking that out too.
Jemiko: I love my chefs because they made me. They saw something I guess
because I love to work, Im a hard worker. I dont like to talk about myself, but this is
what everyone says. The chefs gave me the chance to work in every station thats
what was so good about the hotel, because you were not only in the one station,
you were peeling vegetables, then making food for employees, and by employees I
m talking about making food for 4 or 5 hundred people. Not like 7 people. And to
help them at the meat station, fish station, or vegetable station. You make
everything, breakfast table, brunch, lunch, they are all different stations. Thats
why I love them. But I never, never had the chance to work with dough or with
sweets or desserts. Thats what I was always missing. And thats why when I came
here my cousin and my sister helped me go to school here and thats what filled me
up. Then I felt okay, now we can go somewhere better.
You honed your pastry chops.
Jemiko: Yeah, and since then I worked with this guy Pierre like 16 years almost. All
that time I worked in Italian restaurants. And when I graduated, more of them were
as a pastry chef and managing other locations. Cooking plus desserts, I love that.
If you werent cheffing, what would you be doing?

Jemiko: I dont know, probably acting. The reason why is that I was an actor. For a
few years as a kid, 12-14, until my father passed away. And from my theatrics we
were sent somewhere, I think Romania for about two weeks. I loved it. That was
what I liked to do with my time outside school. I loved acting with my friends and
when I returned, that was when everything happened with my father. I stopped
everything. I always loved the way my father was cooking, but I never thought that
I would become a chef. My father always told me to learn now, so that one day I
could take care of a wife and kids. I miss him, but thats when my career with the
acting ended. I guess thats what I would have continued if he was alive, Im sure I
wouldnt have ended up at the Marco Polo Hotel because he would never have
allowed me to stop school halfway. Thats why he was working 7 days and nights a
week to keep us safe.
Jemiko: Actually, Im not the kind of person who follows the recipe. I like to do
something on my own or create something. But I want to write my own book. Im
working on that, I dont know when, but to write a book takes so long. So one day Ill
get to it. I hate to say that I dont have any favorite books, but I dont.
Where are you getting your meat?
Jemiko: From Ottomanelli & Sons. They have really excellent meats.
Jemiko: Tbilisi, Georgia. My beautiful country.
Jemiko: Right now? Right now in this restaurant. Sweet and sour. Because it works,
especially when cooking with hot food, like meat or lamb. I love to use balsamic
vinegar, and when you do that together with red wine, sweet wine it gives it more
of a sauce with it. When the top of the meat has a glaze, thats unbelievable, I love
that.
What is the best restaurant meal you have recently eaten?

Jemiko: Well not in the past 8 months since I started this, but I love Italian food. So
if I go out, I go to an Italian restaurant. I love Italian food, I really do. I worked here
for almost 16 years every time I worked in Italian restaurant. The other chefs I
worked with, they come here and they hug me because they are proud. I learned a
lot from them. All of them. I met them as chefs and now they are my friends. So if I
go out, I usually go with Italian. Im Georgian, so of course I love Georgian food too.
I go to Maia at Oda House and I go right here to the other Georgian restaurant, Old
Tbilisi Garden. And there is another one that opened in Brooklyn now. Honestly as
a chef, I like all kinds of food. I love to try all food. Actually I cant specify Italian
food, I love all cuisines, Mexican food, Chinese food, etc. Italian is probably my
favorite though.
What is your favorite song/band/music? Why?
Jemiko: Well, at night time, or whenever Im cooking I have my speakers inside, I
like to listen to music. When I drive, too. I really love Bocelli. When I listen to
Bocelli, my mind is in the recipes. This started when I was a kid. It helps me to think
about the food.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing restaurateurs in this area is?
Jemiko: Well, before I started opening, my plan was either East Village or West
Village. I worked in the East Village and this area a lot. Not specifically this block,
but I like this area, there are more people. You have more community. I love to do
something around many restaurants. Thats why I wanted to open not in a dead
area but also not in an area too crowded.
Nothing like this anywhere! We are grateful for you sharing

your time & memories with us Chef Jemiko!
Visit Chef Jemiko Solo at:
Senza Gluten
206 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 475-7775
Well keep you posted on Chef Solo, so please subscribe and

follow!

Tweet it at us now!
Want Senza Glutens dishes delivered to you as easy-to-cook

meal kits?
#KnowTheChef:
Chef Philip Guardione of Piccola Cucina
(Soho, NY)
Chef Philip, keeping an eye on his cucina.
Piccola Cucina literally means little kitchen in Italian, and thats exactly what you get.
Chef Philip Guardione and his wife Monica treat you like a part of their family and they,
along with their accommodating staff, make absolutely certain you are well fed. With two
beautiful (and tiny!) restaurants in Soho, Chef Phillip is constantly running back and forth
between the two. Although busy, this restaurant power couple is never shy of making you
feel like youve just stepped off the plane in Sicily. This is a locals heaven in a sea of
tourists.
Prior to Chef Phillips career in Soho, he wowed international travelers as the Chef de
Cuisine at the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan. From there he traveled from Paris to
Switzerland and all around Europe. About 9 years ago, while on a vacation in New York,
he made more permanent plans and opened Piccola Cucina Enoteca on Prince Street.
Soon after, he opened Piccola Cucina Osteria on Spring Street, and then eventually,
Piccola Cucina in Miami. Guardione keeps his three restaurants authentic in part by
hiring only Sicilian staff. Every chef and server has grown up eating the type of food Chef
Phillip creates, so they already know the tastes hes trying to achieve. Phillip mentioned to
me, When Italians come to New York, they always find their way in here! You know the
food is authentic when people are coming from Italy to try it! From the moment I walked
into the restaurant, I fell in love. It has the romance of Italy built right into the food. If you
live in New York, are travelling to New York, or are just simply reading this article while
drooling all over your keyboard make sure to eat at Piccola Cucina. You wont be
disappointed.
Who: Philip Guardione, Chef

Where:
Piccola Cucina Enoteca
184 Prince St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 625-3200
&
Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana
(646) 478-7488
What is the specific theme of your restaurants?
Philip All the plates we do here are typical Sicilian dishes. Anything from my
island we like to recreate here. Everyone who works here is from Sicily. Because
were all Sicilian, its easy to make simple, traditional Sicilian dishes delicious. We
do a lot of fish and fresh pasta. We bring our fish over here from Sicily. We bring
sardines, calamari, swordfish.
So the dish that you made for me when I came in last week, that came directly
from Sicily?
Philip Yes, the swordfish was from Sicily. So they all come whole and we do all of
the prep. We get about 75% of what we cook from Sicily.
What do you think makes Piccola Cucina different from other Italian
restaurants?
Philip We are incredibly authentic. Everything here comes from Sicily, including
the chefs! We keep it simple, but with a modern and creative approach. Were wellknown for our food, when Italians are in New York, they always find their way here.
Because we have such a small kitchen, we only need a few people to work at a time.
This gives me the freedom to only hire people who have known and lived with
Sicilian food.
Swordfish & Pasta
Whats the worst dish youve ever eaten?

Philip In New York? I dont believe in saying food can be the worst, people have
different cultures and sometimes you dont like something, but all food comes from
the same principles. All restaurants are a lot of work, some people make food for
money, some people for fame, some for passion. I started Piccola Cucina for my
passion for authentic Sicilian food, the money only came later. For the first two
years, we didnt make a penny. The restaurant cost so much money to maintain. We
are very lucky and now we have some recognition from our customers. We make
the food because we love it, but we make the food because they love it too.
How did you go about creating your menu?
Philip I made my menu very simple because if I wanted to have complicated
dishes, I would need to hire a lot of people. This costs a lot of money and requires a
lot of space. My restaurants are very small, we only have 2 or 3 chefs, so when it
gets busy the dishes need to be easy to put together. But the prep is a lot of work.
Sometimes we get here at 8 in the morning and we dont leave until 1am. When we
get fish from Sicily, we have to clean each one. It can take a lot of work. We dont
use butter, only olive oil and all of our ingredients are very fresh. Good ingredients
make good food regardless of simplicity. A dish is like a woman, if she calls for a lot
of expensive things you go broke right away!
The boys in the kitchen.
How did you go about creating your menu?

Philip I made my menu very simple because if I wanted to have complicated dishes, I
would need to hire a lot of people. This costs a lot of money and requires a lot of space.
My restaurants are very small, we only have 2 or 3 chefs, so when it gets busy the
dishes need to be easy to put together. But the prep is a lot of work. Sometimes we get
here at 8 in the morning and we dont leave until 1am. When we get fish from Sicily, we
have to clean each one. It can take a lot of work. We dont use butter, only olive oil and
all of our ingredients are very fresh. Good ingredients make good food regardless of
simplicity. A dish is like a woman, if she calls for a lot of expensive things you go broke
right away!
If you had a signature line of baby food, what would you call it?
Philip I would call it Menu Bebe! I would make some vegetables, minestrone, milanese,
pasta with tomato. Not a lot of people bring babies in here actually- they are too busy
for babies! If they have a baby, they need to work 5 extra days a week to afford it!
What was your favorite meal as a child?

Philip My grandmother and grandfather used to make the toast with sardines
and lemon. When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I wandered into the kitchen and my
grandfather was cooking this, he cut a piece and said try, try! so I tasted it and I
loved it. 95% of the menu are meals that my grandfather used to make. I have only
slightly altered them to fit with modern times in New York. I put together my
childhood experiences with the techniques I have acquired while cooking all over
Europe.
What do you think is the most important part of a meal?
Philip Everything I make, I try to make it the best that it is. The coffee is even very
important to me. They say people remember the first dish and the last dish, so I
want even the coffee to be the best. I focus on trying to make each dish the best it
can be so that everything is memorable.
Philip I have many! One that I particularly enjoy is a book written by Sergio Mei. I
worked with him when I worked at the Four Seasons In Milan. He was an amazing
teacher, so I like to read his book every now and again. I also love Joel Robuchon, I
think he has some interesting books as well.
Philip Sicily.
Why did you move to New York?

Philip I had a good friend that I met when I was working at the Four Seasons in
Milan. She was an actress who lived in New York. She had an Italian boyfriend that I
knew very well and so I came out to visit them. When I was here I saw that this
would be a good place to open a restaurant. One day I was walking around Soho
and I saw that this space was for rent. The owner happened to be Italian, so we
made a deal and he rented it to me. I never left! Nothing was planned, it just
happened. I think the best things happen when you dont plan them. I didnt plan
with my wife either, and it is the best thing.
What is your favorite flavor combination?
Philip For me, its fish and fruit. In Sicily, fish and fruit are often paired together.
Sicily has a lot of influence from Greece on the top half, and Arabic influence on the
bottom. When the two combine, we get various foods from very different cultures.
Maybe some pears or peaches with sardines, cumin, and some couscous. Its very
interesting.
Arancini
What is your favorite restaurant meal youve had?

Philip The place I loved was in the Four Seasons in New York, but its closed now. I
think it closed two years ago. It was called LAtelier by Joel Robuchon. I think it was
supposed to reopen in Battery Park?
What is your favorite thing to listen to?

Philip Andrea Bocelli. His voice is amazing and I love his music. It reminds me of
Italy, hes very important there.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge having a restaurant in Soho?

Philip Millions of people come here. Soho is famous around the world. When
people visit New York they want to see it. The hardest part is trying to keep all of
those people coming to your restaurant. In this industry, youre up one day and
gone the next. You have to constantly be focused.
In your opinion, what is the most popular dish at Piccola Cucina?

Philip Well the two restaurants are a little bit different. We tend to get a younger
crowd at Prince Street, while Spring Street gets an older crowd. At Spring, we sell a
lot of pasta with sardines. At Prince, we do smaller plates that tend to be a little bit
cheaper. Our Prince Street customers loved the Arancini (Rice balls SO GOOD.)
Thank you Chef Guardione!! We are grateful to you for sharing

Visit Chef Guardione at:
Piccola Cucina Enoteca
184 Prince St, New York, NY 10012
(212) 625-3200
&
Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana
(646) 478-7488
Well keep you posted on Chef Philip, so please subscribe and
follow!

Tweet it at us now!
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meal kits?
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awesome dinner?
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From your favorite restaurants today!
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North Fork Table

15 Greenpoint Fish &

No Mess. No Prep. Simply Cook like The Best.

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Chef Utku knows you will be mesmerized by his sage tea.

Who: Utku Cinel, Chef

How did you become a chef?

Antique Garages Incredible Sage Tea

Whats the worst dish youve ever eaten?

Whats your favorite meal from childhood?

Whats your favorite cookbook?

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Chef Heather Pelletier, observing a can of tuna

Who: Heather Pelletier, Executive Sous Chef

How did you become a chef?

What is the worst dish youve ever made?

What do you believe is the worst dish youve ever eaten?

This is the pasta that visits me in my dreams.

Take two separate quart container lids.

Wow, I never thought of that! That is a great time-saver!

Where are you originally from?

What is the best restaurant meal youve recently eaten?

Thank you Chef Heather!! We are grateful to you for sharing

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Massimo enjoying the night at Roots Bistro Gourmand.

Who: Massimo Fedozzi, Chef

That is a very interesting point that you make.

That makes sense. Can you tell us a valuable cooking hack?

What is your favorite meal from childhood?

Thank you Chef Massimo!! We are grateful to you for sharing

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Just finished skiing from Crans-Montana to an Elton John

NYC is a tough nut to crack, especially when your business is Italian

Who: Massimo Sola, Executive Chef

because you came here?

What is the worst dish you have ever eaten?

That must be hard for Italian kids to be gluten-free!

What is the best restaurant meal youve recently eaten?

Thank you Chef Massimo!! We are grateful to you for sharing

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