Conversation, rare: Alex Guarnaschelli
Alex Guarnaschelli is the executive Chef of New York’s Butter Restaurant, instructor at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education, Food Network’s Iron Chef America challenger and judge, and a reoccurring judge on the popular primetime series Chopped, as well as her own shows, The Cooking Loft, and Alex’s Day Off, which launched October of 2009.
What is your least favorite food? Your most favorite?
Lease favorite food? Don’t really have one. Most favorite? I love thin, crispy pizza and anything made with fresh blood oranges.
Who do you look up to, your mentor?
My culinary mentors (who taught me the fundamentals of cooking) are Guy Savoy and Daniel Boulud. Bobby Flay is a “later in the career” mentor in many ways as well.
How did The Food Network approach you?
I was a contestant and judge on Iron Chef. It sort of snowballed from there.
What is the most popular dish to order at Butter?
My favorite dish is the Cavatappi pasta with Spicy Lamb Sausage. Never taking it off the menu.
Why do you think Butter is so popular, and what is one key ingredient that helps Butter stand out from so many restaurants in NY, (the Mecca of food)?
The key ingredient is a patient, tenacious staff that cares about eachother and Butter. It makes it an amazing place to work.
Who walked in to your restaurant that you were so nervous to cook for?
Daniel Boulud made me really super big time nervous. I put fresh bread in the oven when he checked his coat at the door and stalled him with chatter till they emerged, hot out of the oven, and went to his table! And that was only the bread to begin!
If you could cook for anyone in the world who would it be?
I would like to cook for Sophie Pic, she has a 3 star Michelin restaurant in France.
Butter has become quite the popular place to dine, other than delicious food, and seasonal ingredients, what do you think are the key principles in a successful restaurant?
A successful restaurant has many moving parts—a great staff, good food, dedicated owners and a little bit of good old-fashioned luck!
What do you forecast is the next new wave in the culinary world?
The new wave food is root vegetables. Rutabaga, celery root, and parsley root. They’re not the most beautiful but are really tasty!
Some families eat in the kitchen, some in the TV room, where does everyone love to gather to eat in your household?
We have a dining room table where we sit and eat together. After years of standing in kitchens eating, I really like sitting.
Anything in the works we should know about?
We are working on a new restaurant on 14th street. We shall see what happens with that.
