10 Questions with Chef Arik Bensimon of Napa & Co. Interview Restaurant Chef Talk Stamford Stephanie Webster February 02, 2012 Chef Arik Bensimon started cooking at the age of 11 at his Aunt and Uncle's restaurant, Pasta Prego, on 45th and 5th Avenue in New York City. He has been in the kitchen ever since and there's no place he'd rather be (other than a yoga studio). As Napa and Company's Executive Chef he has created a menu that spans the culinary globe while staying close to the farm. Passionate and surprisingly understated, Chef Arik recently sat down with CTbites to answer a few questions about what makes him tick. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? Pasta. I always have really good buccatini in the house and a can of really good tomatoes. I'd probably do a salad to go with it…with fresh greens and I love shaved fennel. What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Whole grilled Bronzino with olive oil and lemon juice. I was cooking at my mother's house. What are your guilty pleasures in terms of food? Cereal. Kashi (any kind) with almond milk is da' bomb. Read More
CTbites Holiday Wish List Interview 2011 Holiday Amy Kundrat and Stephanie Webster December 18, 2011 What kitchen gadget or appliance, cookbook, hard-to-find food or spirit are you coveting this holiday season? We put this question to bloggers, writers, chefs and foodies hoping to get some inspiration to tackle our holiday shopping list in the hopes of finding that perfect present for the food-obsessed person in your life. What's at the top of your holiday wish list to give or receive? Liz Dorney Blogger, Twilight at Morningside Gift: An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails by Orr Sthuhl and Elizabeth Graber "In our home, Dale DeGroff is the final word on cocktails. The Essential Cocktail is our bible, but if you're looking for a bit of whimsy with your drink, Orr Sthuhl and Elizabeth Graber's self-published book pairs charming illustrations and back-story (full of intrigue) with each recipe." Chef Jeff BorofskyChef, Skinny Pines Gift: A yearly subscription to Fine Cooking's website. Giving the cook access to the magazine's vast collection of recipes. Gift for a vegetarian: We always turn to Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This is a go to cookbook with great tips for all things vegetable. Read More
11 Questions w/ Chef Matt Storch of Match Restaurant Interview Chef Talk Stephanie Webster October 27, 2011 If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in 1 hour, what would you whip up? Grilled Ribeye or Chicken Thighs with sautéed veg and caramelized onions or possibly a garden salsa of some sort, avocado, plums, jalapeño, toasted corn…always some nice crusty bread What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Lunch is a pasta with sour cream and cottage cheese..(old family favorite) My wife and I had (see above) for dinner the other night What are your guilty pleasures (in terms of food)? Hamburgers, hot dogs, and French fries What ingredient could you not live without? Salt, Bacon, Olive oil, Eggs...sorry couldn’t decide Read More
10 Questions w/ Prasad Chirnomula of Thali Restaurant Interview Chef Talk Indian Amy Kundrat August 31, 2011 1. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in one hour, what would you whip up? If it is in season will check my garden for some veggies and greens, next check the refrigerator and pantry and then make a decision if I have to go out to the restaurant or grocery store. Tacos are always a priority and a very quick fix. Typically I would whip a salad and/or seafood appetizer and a mix-grill of marinated meats and veggies on the deck. 2. What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Today was particularly a very hot day. I made some green apple Gazpacho in the morning and stored it away in the refrigerator and Crab filled Japanese Eggplant with Roselle leaves and green chili paste. Apples, Chilies, Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Roselle Leaves were picked fresh of my garden. I am from the rice and spice country, so made some fragrant Basmati Rice. Read More
10 Questions w/ Matt Stanczak of Stanziato's in Danbury Interview Restaurant Chef Talk Danbury Pizza Amy Kundrat July 19, 2011 Matt Stanczak is chef and owner of Danbury's two-year-old Stanziato's Wood-fired pizza. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he has worked for the last decade as both a private chef and for restaurants in New York City and Westchester but now, and thankfully for us, he calls Danbury home. Stanczak’s contemporary take on on the classic Neopolitan pizza is one of the most outstanding in the state. His puffy charred crusts, devotion to local ingredients and seasonality as well as his nightly specials with their intuitive pairings have made me literally pound the table in delight. 1. If you had unexpected guests arriving at your home for dinner in one hour, what would you whip up? This time of year I'm definitely thinking a fresh Guacamole....Avacodos from my favorite Latino bodega, Lots of freshly squeezed Lime Juice, Onion, maybe a chopped up jalapeno, sea salt, and lots and lots of cilantro! Simple, Fresh, Delicious. 2. What is the last dish you cooked for yourself? Read More
A Conversation with Joe Bastianich Interview Restaurant Italian Chef Talk Amy Kundrat May 24, 2011 We are counting the days to the opening of Tarry Lodge Enoteca and Pizzeria this summer, Batali and Bastianich's latest restaurant venture poised to open in Westport. Located in the space formerly occupied by Abbondanza, this latest incarnation of the Tarry Lodge concept is lending momentum to the revitalization of the Saugatuck waterfront project. Hungry for more details, we had a quick chat with Greenwich resident Joe Bastianich about the opening, what we can expect from the menu, and why of all places they chose Westport, Connecticut. Read More
An Interview with Dorie Greenspan Interview Cookbooks Amy Kundrat November 12, 2010 “Cooking is a very generous act, particularly baking. It’s sad to get through life without a cookie but you could.” It’s impossible not to be smitten with Dorie Greenspan. The James Beard award-winning author of ten cookbooks, including the recent Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes From My Home to Yours, will present her latest cookbook at the Darien Library in conjunction with Barrett Bookstore on November 18 at 7 pm. This compilation of recipes inspired by contemporary French home cooking, shows us that it's not necessarily all about being Escoffier. We had a chance to chat with the gracious author, Francophile and cook about everything from her favorite Connecticut haunts (she has a home in Westbrook, CT), to her favorite recipes, memorable kitchen flops, and what makes a good home cook. Read More Chef Talk: Da Pietro's Chef Scotti's Grilled Calamari Salad Interview Features Seafood Westport Recipe Christy Colasurdo December 14, 2009 Though better known around these parts for his inventive creations at DaPietro’s Restaurant in Westport, chef Pietro Scotti is all about tradition when it comes to the holidays. Leading up to Christmas, he bakes and decorates gingerbread houses with his kids, Tomaso, 7, and Lucia, 5, and sips festive hot cider with star anise, cinnamon and orange slices. He also bakes “Chicolino,” a bread with prosciutto and egg filling and a traditional sweet baked dessert that includes capellini pasta (go figure!), candied fruit, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Hailing from Ischia, a tiny fishing village in Italy, Pietro recalls fondly his family shopping excursions to the waterfront dock. There, his mother chose fish so fresh it was literally splashing around in buckets for his family’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” Christmas Eve meal. When asked to provide CTbites with a favorite holiday recipe, Pietro chose this grilled calamari salad because it’s simple, clean and easy to prepare—a modern riff on a classic—but also because it reminds him of his childhood. Isn’t that what traditional holiday cooking is all about? Read More Newer Older Our Sponsors Sign Me Up! * Thank you for subscribing to CTbites' weekly newsletter. Archive of All Reviews Openings Featured Colt Taylor Opens The Essex Brasserie in Branford Taco Dia Opens in Newtown from the Bailey’s Backyard Team Constantino’s Pasta Bowls Opens In Greenwich With Pasta Bread Bowls! Kris and Shane McGowan Open Wildcat, a "Cocktail Forward" Bar + Restaurant in Hamden Soulber Kitchen & Market Expands from Bowl Delivery Business to Full Service Café in Bethel Joe Criscuolo Opens Luca’s Pizzeria in Greenwich's Glenville Section Chef Zac Young's Sprinkletown Donuts & Ice Cream is NOW OPEN at Foxwoods Casino La Colombina Burger Opens in Norwalk with Colombian Style Stacked Burgers, Loaded Hot Dogs + More Former Hell’s Kitchen Finalist Megan Gill is Cooking at Hotel Marcel's BLDG in New Haven Hungry Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot Opens Location in Westport Jeff Taibe Opens Southeast Asian Concept “Next Door” Inside of Taproot in Norwalk "Neighborhood Bar" Flying Scotsman Opens in Norwalk's Wall Street District The Torta Shop Opens in Bridgeport Serving Epic Mexican Sandwiches Chef Dan Kardos Opens Café Melba in Milford First Look: Jacob’s Pickles Opens at The SoNo Collection Massimo Italian Corner Opens in Norwalk With Gourmet Italian Specialties OPENINGS Featured Colt Taylor Opens The Essex Brasserie in Branford Taco Dia Opens in Newtown from the Bailey’s Backyard Team Constantino’s Pasta Bowls Opens In Greenwich With Pasta Bread Bowls! Kris and Shane McGowan Open Wildcat, a "Cocktail Forward" Bar + Restaurant in Hamden Soulber Kitchen & Market Expands from Bowl Delivery Business to Full Service Café in Bethel Joe Criscuolo Opens Luca’s Pizzeria in Greenwich's Glenville Section Chef Zac Young's Sprinkletown Donuts & Ice Cream is NOW OPEN at Foxwoods Casino La Colombina Burger Opens in Norwalk with Colombian Style Stacked Burgers, Loaded Hot Dogs + More Former Hell’s Kitchen Finalist Megan Gill is Cooking at Hotel Marcel's BLDG in New Haven Hungry Pot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot Opens Location in Westport Jeff Taibe Opens Southeast Asian Concept “Next Door” Inside of Taproot in Norwalk "Neighborhood Bar" Flying Scotsman Opens in Norwalk's Wall Street District Find Us On Instagram
Chef Talk: Da Pietro's Chef Scotti's Grilled Calamari Salad Interview Features Seafood Westport Recipe Christy Colasurdo December 14, 2009 Though better known around these parts for his inventive creations at DaPietro’s Restaurant in Westport, chef Pietro Scotti is all about tradition when it comes to the holidays. Leading up to Christmas, he bakes and decorates gingerbread houses with his kids, Tomaso, 7, and Lucia, 5, and sips festive hot cider with star anise, cinnamon and orange slices. He also bakes “Chicolino,” a bread with prosciutto and egg filling and a traditional sweet baked dessert that includes capellini pasta (go figure!), candied fruit, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Hailing from Ischia, a tiny fishing village in Italy, Pietro recalls fondly his family shopping excursions to the waterfront dock. There, his mother chose fish so fresh it was literally splashing around in buckets for his family’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” Christmas Eve meal. When asked to provide CTbites with a favorite holiday recipe, Pietro chose this grilled calamari salad because it’s simple, clean and easy to prepare—a modern riff on a classic—but also because it reminds him of his childhood. Isn’t that what traditional holiday cooking is all about? Read More
