Chef at The Chopping Block since: 2007
Favorite class to teach: Pasta classes
Training/education: French Culinary Institute
Cooking since: 1999
Favorite childhood food experience: Eating at Don Peppe restaurant in Queens, New York City
What made you want to become a chef? Eating out in NYC
What is your signature dish? Coconut Lime Crabcake
What are the 5 ingredients you can't live without? Bacon, butter, heavy cream, truffle salt and eggs.
What do you love about cooking? Making other people happy.
When you're creating a new recipe, what influences and inspires you? Italian regional food.
What advice would you give a new cook? What you put in the pot is what you get out. Buy quality ingredents.
What are you doing when you're not cooking? Taking care of my children and golfing.
Describe your perfect evening. Having someone else cook for me!
If you had friends in from out of town, where would you take them to eat? Mercat a la Planxa, North Pond, Spring, Avec, Publican.
Where are you from? New York City
What was your favorite vacation? Italy
What are your hobbies? Golfing
What is your favorite band? Pearl Jam
What is your favorite sports team? New York Giants
If you could have dinner with one person, who would it be? Thomas Keller
What are your guilty pleasures? Oysters
Who is your favorite celebrity chef? I don't really follow celebrity chefs. The best chefs are not necessarily on TV.
What 5 tools should every new cook have in the kitchen?
What resources would you suggest for Chopping Block students?
List three of your favorite tips or techniques you use in the kitchen.
Some of my favorite products we carry at The Chopping Block are the Global Santoku Knife, Dish D'Lish French Seasoning Salt and Frantoia Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The knife is a very well balanced, all purpose knife for both beginners and professionals. You can literally add the French seasoning salt to anything: meats, seafood, poulty and vegetables, and I promise it will taste better. Frantoia is one of the best extra virgin olive oils in the market and is produced from 100% estate grown Sicilian olives. It has a fruity flavor and can be used for both finishing and cooking.
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