eating americana: shane confectionery `s whirly

THE TALE OF FORGOTTEN CABBAGE
P.20
PULLING TRADITIONAL MACCHERONI
ALLA MUGNAIA INTO THE PRESENT
EATING AMERICANA: SHANE CONFECTIONERY ’S WHIRLY BERLEY BAR
SWEETNESS FOLLOWS: THE CONTRARIAN CASE
FOR SIMPLE SYRUPS P.60
P.40
P.20
SCHEUREBE DOES DOUBLE DUTY
in
MIDDLE EASTERN PAIRING
P.64
RISING STARS
PHILADELPHIA | FEBRUARY 2013
RISING STARS
WHOOPS, I COOKED IT PERFECTLY:
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FEBRUARY 201 3
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(212) 473-0220
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(212) 965-9511
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TH E
CHEF
NICHOLAS ELMI
Rittenhouse Tavern
Winner of the
2012 Starchefs.com
International Chefs
Congress Tabletop
Innovator Award
The 2012 StarChefs.com Innovator
Awards recognize companies that
offer a product that is
innovative in its mission
or design, and instrumental
in helping chefs or culinary
professionals succeed in their endeavors.
@ N ICHOLASELM I
Nicholas Elmi’s culinary career started on a Thursday. That was his day of the week to feed his five siblings and hard-working parents. The weekly
chore became a paying gig in high school, when Elmi slung pizzas and pasta at Joseph’s Trattoria in his native Bradford, Massachusetts. And it turned
into a career when he opted out of an accounting and economics program to earn a degree from the Culinary Institute of America.
After graduating in 2001, Elmi moved to Philadelphia to work under one the city’s most iconic chefs, George Perrier, at Brasserie Perrier. Elmi then
left Philly to immerse himself in the New York City fine-dining scene with a stage at Daniel and posts at Lutece, Union Pacific with Chef Rocco
DiSpirito, and Oceana with Rising Star Chef Chris Lee. Elmi eventually found his way back to his mentor Perrier with an executive sous chef
position at Mia in Atlantic City and eventually the executive chef role at Le Bec-Fin.
www.steelite.com
toll free: 800 367 3493
email: [email protected]
facebook.com/steelite
twitter.com/steeliteusa
pinterest.com/steeliteusa
Before he took over the kitchen at Le Bec-Fin, Elmi moved to Paris to stage at Guy Savoy, a formative experience that changed his view of ingredients,
purveyors, and creative process in the kitchen. He brought his renewed passion to Perrier’s flagship until the restaurant changed hands in 2012. Now
chef of Rittenhouse Tavern, Elmi’s first solo restaurant is an elegant reflection of his French training and an inspiring taste of his culinary vision—
ignited years ago in his parents’ kitchen.
FAST FACTS
Favorite tool: My petty knife. I use it for everything from butchering to fine knife work. Tool do you wish you had: Rotary evaporator
Favorite cookbook: Essential Cuisine by Michel Bras Favorite dish you’ve ever made: Chilled Poached Squid, Horseradish, Buddha’s Hand, Celery, and Sea Urchin
Where do you most want to go for culinary travel? Back to France—dream weekend would be l’Astrance then travel south to Michel Bras.
Favorite charity: March of Dimes
PHILADELPHIA 2013 | 4
CHEF
YUN FUENTES
A nAturAl Source of InSpIrAtIon
AuStrAlIAn Beef
SuStAInABle And SAfe
w w w . a u s t r a l i a n - m e a t. c o m
“RaRe Roast austRalian Wagyu Rump, FingeRling potatoes,
HaRicots VeRts and HoRseRadisH cReam” by cHeF Craig Hopson
Photo: Shannon SturgiS
JG Domestic
@ JGDOM ESTICPH L
Yun Fuentes’s first industry job—as a Hamburglar costume-clad McDonald’s birthday attendant—wasn’t exactly glamorous. And though his
second saw him arm deep in suds as a dishwasher, it got him into the kitchen, where he proved himself an able cook. Moving from the dish basin to
the stove, Fuentes realized just how much he had to learn. And that initial spark of curiosity fueled his ascent in the industry.
In the 1990s, Fuentes worked the restaurant circuit in his native Old San Juan. He cooked under Roberto Treviño at The Parrot Club and served as
the first chef de cuisine at Blue Agave Bar & Grill, where he worked with Richard Sandoval. To push his knowledge and comfort zone, Fuentes left
Puerto Rico for New York City, where he landed at Patria, followed by stints at El Zocalo, and Pipa and Lucy Latin Kitchen in the ABC Building.
Eventually, Fuentes found his way to Jean-Georges Vongerichten kitchens—all the while continuing to stage.
Fuentes finally found a culinary home in Philadelphia, working on the Amada salad station for Rising Star Chef Jose Garces. Fuentes impressed
his new mentor Garces and soon had the chance to take on more responsibility and the role of chef de cuisine. Moving within the Garces Group,
Fuentes worked at Tinto and Village Whiskey before taking over as chef de cuisine at JG Domestic, where his passion and hunger to learn continue to
drive him today.
FAST FACTS
Favorite tool: Spoon Tool do you wish you had: More spoons Most important kitchen rule: It can be better. Favorite dish you’ve ever made: Lechon Asado
Where you most want to go for culinary travel: My grandma’s house Favorite charity: Garces Family Foundation
PHILADELPHIA 2013 | 6
CHEF
JOSH LAWLER
BLOODY BEET STEAK, BEET PAN JUS, YOGURT,
AMARANTH, AND AGED BALSAMIC
Farm and Fisherman
Chef Josh Lawler of The Farm and Fisherman – Philadelphia, PA
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 4 servings
ING REDIENTS
M ETHOD
Bloody Beet Steak:
2 large red beets, tops removed
¼ cup olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 sprigs thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallots
½ cup veal stock
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
For the Bloody Beet Steak:
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a bowl, toss the beets with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the beets on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roast beets until tender, about 2 hours. Remove
from oven and cool slightly. Peel beets and slice in half lengthwise.
To Assemble and Serve:
1 cup Greek yogurt
Aged balsamic vinegar
Micro red amaranth
Maldon sea salt
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large, cast-iron skillet; place beets cut side down in the pan. Using
small pan, crush beets until they are about 1-inch thick. Cook until browned, flip, and brown the other side.
Add butter, thyme, and shallots to the pan; cook, basting the beets with butter, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove beets
from pan and deglaze with stock, vinegar, and honey. Cook until reduced to a glaze. Reserve warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
Smear some yogurt down the center of a plate and top with a Bloody Beet Steak, cut side up. Spoon pan
sauce over each beet and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with micro amaranth and salt.
The Bard Scotch Ale, Forest and
Main Brewing Company, USA
Micro red amaranth
provided by
30-year aged balsamic vinegar
provided by Julius Silvert
@ FARM FISH ERMAN
With a grandfather who worked as a butcher and a quarter-acre farm in his backyard, Pennsylvania native Josh Lawler’s connection to land and food
have always been personal. That connection drew him to the kitchen early. He started cooking at 14, and seven years later, he graduated from Drexel
University with a degree in hotel and restaurant management.
After working at Philadelphia restaurants, including The Fountain, Buddakan, and Striped Bass, Lawler moved to New York City to work under
Laurent Tourondel at BLT Steak and under Bill Telepan as chef de cuisine at Telepan.
Lawler’s next step didn’t take him too far from New York City—just 20 miles north of Manhattan—but it brought him back to the roots of
his childhood food experiences and, arguably, American cuisine. As chef de cuisine of Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Lawler played an
instrumental role in the restaurant’s success and in defining the modern farm-to-table movement.
In spring 2011, Lawler took his experience and passion for all thing local back to his home state, opening Farm and Fishermen with his wife (and sous
chef) Colleen, whom he met at Drexel. At Farm and Fisherman, Lawler continues to deepen his relationship with the land and his purveyors—and
now his diners—serving as a steward for the future of honest and inspiring local cooking.
FAST FACTS
Favorite tool: Cleaver Tool do you wish you had: Walk-in Favorite cookbook: Cooking with the Seasons by Jean-Louis Palladin
Most important kitchen rule: Do your job. Favorite dish you’ve ever made: The Boody Beet Steak Favorite charity: The Food Trust
7 | S TA RC H E F S . C O M R I S I N G S TA R S
PHILADELPHIA 2013 | 8
A RT I S A N
DAVINA SOONDRUM
WHIRLY BERLEY BAR
Pastry Chef Davina Soondrum of Shane Confectionery – Philadelphia, PA
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 75 bite-sized bars
Franklin Fountain
ING REDIENTS
Soft Chocolate Torrone:
½ ounce dried egg whites
19 ounces sugar
2 ounces fresh egg whites
7 ounces corn syrup
5 ounces water
10 ounces honey
3 ounces chocolate liqueur
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks
1 ounce cocoa butter
Salted Chocolate Caramel:
2½ cups granulated sugar
1¾ cups corn syrup
¾ cups water
¾ pound butter, cubed
1¼ cups heavy cream
½ pound dark chocolate chunks
Coarse sea salt
Cocoa nibs
Insana Stout,
Prism Brewing Company, USA
Wilbur Bronze Medal dark chocolate
provided by
To Assemble and Serve:
Tempered dark chocolate
Cocoa nibs
@ FRAN KLI N FTN
Born in Trinidad and raised in Philadelphia, Davina Soondrum is proof that childhood dreams can come true. As a toddler, Soondrum’s mom
let her watch “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” nearly every day, and at the tender age of 4, she told her parents she wanted to be a candy
maker. Though her dream hibernated for more than a decade, Soondrum found herself drawn back to sweets after high school.
Transforming her growing interest into a career, Soondrum attended the Art Institute of Philadelphia, where she was mentored by Chef Patrick Coue
and graduated with honors in 2006. In school, Soondrum worked the counter at Godiva, but degree in hand, she hit the pastry kitchen in earnest
with roles at The Restaurant School (where she worked with another mentor, Randall Hoppmann), Daniel Stern’s Rae; Marcie Turney’s retail shop,
Grocery; and Friday, Saturday, Sunday in Rittenhouse Square.
Soondrum was soon tapped to run the pastry program at Ryan and Eric Berley’s turn-of-the-century soda shop and ice cream parlor, Franklin
Fountain. And as the brothers prepared to re-open Shane Confectionery next door, Soondrum was a natural choice to lead their candy making debut.
Starting with 100-year-old recipes scratched onto envelopes, Soondrum began to master and re-imagine Shane’s offerings. She and her team make
crave-worth chocolate bars, dip buttercreams by hand, and craft toy glass candies in antique iron molds. Made with the fervor and process of a
scientist and the wild imagination of a child, Soondrum’s confections are the sweet outcome of a professional dream realized.
FAST FACTS
Favorite tool: Pure imagination—without it, I could not function. Tool you wish you had: Fool-proof mercury thermometer
Most important kitchen rule: Don’t take things too personally. We’re always learning; mistakes just open other doors for future success.
Favorite interview question: What do you have in your fridge right now? Favorite charity: Philabundance
9 | S TA RC H E F S . C O M R I S I N G S TA R S
PHILADELPHIA 2013 | 10
MACCHERONI ALLA MUGNAIA: HAND-PULLED SINGLE
STRAND PASTA, GARLIC, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL,
HOT PEPPER, AND PECORINO
PULLING TRADITIONAL MACCHERONI ALLA
MUGNAIA INTO THE PRESENT
Caroline Hatchett
Chef Joe Cicala of Le Virtù – Philadelphia, PA
Adapted by StarChefs.com
P H OTO : K AT E R I L I KO U D I S
BY
If you’ve boiled a box of De Cecco, you’ve eaten the fruits of Abruzzo’s
pasta making tradition—at least in its most commercial form. Due east
of Rome, Abruzzo begins in the heart of Apennines mountain range and
extends to the Adriatic Sea, and a combination of mountain-filtered
water and close proximity to grain-producing regions makes it the ideal
home for pasta making. “Most Italian chefs agree that the best pasta
makers come from Abruzzo,” says 2013 Rising Star Artisan Joe Cicala,
who runs the kitchen at Philadelphia’s Abruzzese restaurant, Le Virtù—
though he admits chefs in Emilia-Romagna may beg to differ.
HONING TECHNIQUE
Back home, Cicala worked for two weeks to master the dough, which has
to be hand-kneaded for an hour. “You have to discipline yourself to let
the dough rest, so it will loosen up. Otherwise, it will snap,” he says. In
Abruzzo, pasta is an invention of necessity, a combination of inexpensive
ingredients—just flour, water, and a hit of olive oil—to sustain a day
of labor. “It’s pasta that comes from extreme poverty,” says Cicala. But
without the egg and semolina used in other parts of Italy, it’s a different
beast to handle.
Dried pasta factories, including De Cecco, Guiseppe Cocco (Cicala’s
favorite), and Del Verde, dot the region’s Del Verde River. And fresh
pastas like maccheroni alla chitarra were invented there. But when Le
Virtù owner, Francis Cratil-Cretarola, first experienced Maccheroni alla
Mugnaia, he knew he found something special.
Now one of Cicala’s signature dishes, the chef pulls 10-foot loops for
everyday dining, but has pulled 40-foot loops for special occasions. In
Abruzzo, Maccheroni alla Mugnaia is traditionally served on the same
table the pasta is rolled on. The cook simply cleans the table, boils the
pasta, and dresses the single noodle with sauce on the tabletop. Crowds
gather round and dig in. With advance notice, Cicala serves Maccheroni
alla Mugnaia on giant wooden boards for Le Virtù guests to share.
ON THE PASTA HUNT
After eating the pasta on one of his annual food pilgrimages to Abruzzo,
Cratil-Cretarola sent Cicala on a mission to find a restaurant that served
it. Maccheroni alla Mugnaia is a single loop of hand-pulled pasta,
stretched from a disc into loops 10-feet to hundreds of feet long. Because
the pasta is typically served in homes and at festivals, Cicala’s search
lasted over two weeks. “He sent me on a wild goose chase to find this
damn pasta,” says Cicala. “I interviewed every chef I knew, who would
then send me in a new direction.”
ING REDIENTS
M ETHOD
Maccheroni alla Mugnaia:
(Yield: 4 to 6 servings)
1 kilogram 00 flour
500 grams water
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Maccheroni alla Mugnaia:
On a large surface, make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the water, salt, and oil. With a fork,
slowly incorporate the flour from the outside. Once the dough starts to come together, knead for 1 hour, until
the dough picks up all the flour and becomes relatively firm. Form the dough into a disc, cover, and rest in
the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and poke a hole in the center of the disc making a
doughnut shape. Slowly start stretching the dough from the inside out, making a continuous loop. When the
dough loop grows to large to handle, lay the dough flat on a wooden table and start rolling it out with your
hands, continuing to stretch the dough until you get a very thick, rough spaghetti-like shape.
Sauce:
(Yield: 1 serving)
3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ long hot pepper, thinly sliced
½ Fresno chili, thinly sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 ounces pasta water
To Assemble and Serve:
(Yield: 1 serving)
10 flat leaf parsley leaves, minced
3 tablespoons shaved pecorino
Canestrato Abruzze
For the Sauce:
In a cold, large pot, add the oil, garlic, peppers, and red pepper flakes and bring up slowly to a light fry. When
the garlic toasts, or turns light brown around the edges, remove from heat and add pasta water to stop the
cooking. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the Maccheroni alla Mugnaia and cook for 8
to 10 minutes, until just under al dente. Gently warm the Sauce in the pot. Drain the pasta and add to the
pot with the Sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, adding pasta water as needed to keep the emulsification. If the pasta
starts to sizzle add water. Stir constantly to release the starch and thicken the sauce. Add the pecorino and
parsley and toss lightly to mix.
As far as Cicala knows, he’s only seen the pasta referenced in one
cookbook, Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Pasta of Italy, and he’s
the only chef in America serving the dish. It’s even a dying art in Abruzzo,
where “the kids don’t have an interest in learning,” he says. So taking up
the mantle of grandma and artisan, Cicala keeps alive the tradition of
Maccheroni alla Mugnaia at Le Virtù. Join him with this technique.
His search ended at Il Ristorante Hotel La Bilancia in the town of Loreto
Aprutino. After finishing a bowl in the dining room, Cicala talked to the
maître d’, who brought in the owner. Before long, Cicala found himself
in the kitchen, stretching pasta with two grandmas, who had cooked at
the restaurant for 60 years.
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PHILADELPHIA 2013 | 12