Conversation, rare: Emma Hearst
Emma Hearst is the lovely and talented chef behind the lower east side gem known as Sorella. Hearst is one of the youngest and extremely gifted female chef’s I have had the pleasure to meet. I met Hearst at her restaurant a few weeks ago and here’s what she had to say about Sorella.
Why did you go into cooking?
I can honestly say I have loved to cook since I was 3 years old
How old were you when you opened Sorella?
21
How old were you when you started working at restaurants?
13
Do you have a partner?
Yes. I opened the restaurant with Sarah Krathen my business partner.
Very impressive…Are you self-taught or did you have formal training?
I went to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) straight out of High School, then traveled extensively throughout Italy
What defines Sorella for you?
We use locally grown food. The pasta is always made in house along with our bread. No snobbery, just authentic good food. Our menu is always changing.
Tell me about the hip hop music that I heard playing throughout the restaurant one night
Yes! We have kitchen Dj’s – everyone that works in the kitchen has their own Ipod mixes I like to keep the kitchen professional yet fun, since we are here till 2am
Anyone exciting you see dining that late?
I see chefs dining here a lot. It means a lot to me when another chef admires your cooking.
Do you have a pastry chef?
Yes. Yarisis Jacobo
Plans for the future?
I did Iron Chef last year, I’d like to publish a book down the line. For now, just focused on fine-tuning Sorella till it’s a well-oiled machine.
